Learning to Accept Missed Opportunities in Life

Learning to Accept Missed Opportunities in Life

If you’ve been reading my columns the past few months, it is no secret that I’m noticing a huge difference in my physical abilities as the progression of my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) charges on. I often write about how tired I am physically, how emotionally drained I…

Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients Face Practical and Emotional Challenges, Survey Shows

Pulmonary fibrosis patients experience significant practical and emotional problems from their disease, according to a nine-country Boehringer Ingelheim survey. More than 150 people took part in the survey, which exposed the worries that idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients have about their disease’s irreversible progression. Sixty-one percent of patients said they were either…

10 Exercises to Do in the Pool

Aquatic exercise can be very beneficial for patients with pulmonary fibrosis (PF), as the water supports a good proportion of a person’s body weight, making it easier to move around. The American Physiotherapy Association has some recommended exercises to try next time you’re in the pool: MORE: Tips…

FDA Grants Orphan Drug Designation to Samumed’s Investigational SM04646 for IPF Treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug status to SM04646, a therapy developed by San Diego-based Samumed to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). This designation provides several benefits, including tax incentives, exemption from the FDA user fee and potential market exclusivity for seven years following approval. SM04646,…

Things to Consider When Seeking Patient Advocates

The definition of patient advocacy can vary from patient to patient, and can include many different roles for those involved in any type of chronic illness advocacy campaign or project. What also varies is the patients’ comfort level when getting involved in different initiatives that might focus on…

5 Ways Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Impacts Daily Life

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive chronic lung condition which affects people both emotionally and physically. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held a patient-focus drug development initiative where people living with IPF could talk freely about the effect the disease has on their everyday lives. Here’s…

Ofev Corrects Blood Vessel Abnormalities Associated with Lung Fibrosis, Study Suggests

Ofev (nintedanib) can counter lung fibrosis by correcting abnormalities in lung blood-vessel structure, according to a German study in mice. The research suggests that fibrosis, or tissue scarring, and mechanisms involved in blood vessel formation interact in the progression of the disease. Researchers at the Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center in Mainz studied…