NORD Opens COVID-19 Financial Aid Program for Rare Disease Community

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has opened a financial assistance program for people in rare disease community who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Called the NORD COVID-19 Critical Relief Program, the effort will provide up to $1,000 annually to those eligible to…

Men with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are at higher risk of death and are more likely to require a lung transplant than women, according to a recent study. Researchers also identified coughing to be an independent predictor of survival in men with IPF. The study, “Differences in…

Taking oral dietary supplements of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) — an antioxidant in green tea — may stop and reverse the pro-fibrotic (scarring) state of the lungs of people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a small study suggests. These early findings support larger studies of EGCG’s anti-fibrotic potential in IPF,…

A person’s sex appears to affect whether or not they are diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), according to a study that tested respiratory physicians worldwide. Women are less likely to be given an IPF diagnosis, and men may be overdiagnosed, its results suggests. Investigators also noted that the influence of…

After writing last week about the loss of my friend, I realized that it was her birthday. That very day, she would have turned 30. I don’t believe in coincidences. I think things happen at certain times for a reason. Donate Life Month inspired me…

People with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) have shorter survival times after an acute exacerbation than do those with other interstitial lung diseases (ILD), often dying within a few months of such flares, a study from Finland reports. Pulmonary fibrosis, or lung scarring, was the most common underlying cause of death…

It’s fair to say that none of us really know how to navigate our days during this COVID-19 pandemic. I have never lived through anything quite like this, and would guess that many of you haven’t either. The days are long with a lack of routine and structure, and…

Across the world, a fair amount of variation exists in medical practices to diagnose and treat acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), reflecting a lack of evidence-based guidelines, a study based on surveys of pulmonologists reports. The study, “Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: international…

Abnormal buildup of iron in the lungs can cause lung fibrosis (scarring), and targeting this accumulation could be a therapeutic strategy for people with pulmonary fibrosis, a new study suggests. The study, “Critical role for iron accumulation in the pathogenesis of fibrotic lung disease,” was published in …

Nogra Pharma’s experimental therapy GED-0507 limited body weight loss and the extension of lung scarring (fibrosis) — to a similar or greater extent than two approved anti-fibrotic therapies used as comparators — in mice with induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF), a study reported. These findings suggest that GED-0507 may be a therapeutic option for…