Patricia Inácio, PhD,  science writer—

Long-term exposure to air pollutants — nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and fine particle matter — appears to greatly raise the risk of acute exacerbations, or sudden bouts of symptom worsening, in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a study of patients in Greece reported. “Our findings show consistent positive associations” between…

A large and multi-ethnic database, reported to be the first of its kind for rare lung diseases, is now compiling real-world clinical and imaging data on people with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) and other interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) from centers across the globe. Launched by the Open Source Imaging Consortium (OSIC),…

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), particularly idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), are associated with a substantial economic burden to healthcare systems due to the high cost of their treatments, a German study reported. Medication costs for IPF patients, recruited between November 2016 and April 2017 and followed for one year, rose from…

The Three Lakes Foundation is joining with the Lung Foundation Australia, the Centre of Research Excellence in Pulmonary Fibrosis (CRE-PF), and an Australian philanthropist to create a global network for pulmonary fibrosis (PF) research. Together, they aim to raise disease awareness, and the resources and knowledge…

More than 100,000 fewer hospital appointments were logged by people with lung diseases like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in England between March 2020 and 2021, relative to the average annual number of such appointments — which the Taskforce for Lung Health attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the strain…

Ahead of this year’s Rare Disease Week on Capitol Hill, held virtually July 14–22, the EveryLife Foundation will award grants to top advocates of rare disease organizations who participate in the week’s pre-events. The top 50 point-earners will be eligible to win $1,000 to $5,000in  grants, totaling up…

As part of the worldwide commemoration of Clinical Trials Day, held each year on May 20, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) is urging people with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) to join ongoing clinical studies. In its call for participants, the PFF highlighted how patient involvement is the “most important…

People with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who live in poorer neighborhoods are less likely to receive a lung transplant and have a higher mortality risk, a U.S. single-center study reports. The study’s lead researcher said she was surprised the findings of “neighborhood-level disadvantage” reached significance given the relatively…

SAN903, a candidate therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), led to a significant reduction in markers of inflammation and fibrosis (scarring) in a mouse model of induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF), its developer, Saniona, reported. The treatment’s ability to lessen tissue scarring also outperformed that of Esbriet (pirfenidone),…

More than half of the people with rare diseases and their caregivers, asked in a survey, were undecided or less than willing to be vaccinated for COVID-19 if a vaccine was approved under emergency use authorization instead of the routine process, the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Disease reports. These findings…