A Day in the Life: When Laughter Is the Best Medicine

Laughter brings people together. It can lead to positive emotional changes, especially when you’re having a rough day. It can also boost the immune system, which enables our body to fight infections. Laughter can help us feel relaxed and vibrant and make our spirits soar. Chronic illness can trigger…

It was July 9, 2021, at 9 a.m. NBC’s “Today” show was on television in our house that morning. I was in my home office going through my morning routine while my wife, Susan, was downstairs in her home office. When my cellphone rang, I recognized the number as the…

Angion Biomedica plans to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for permission to start testing its experimental therapy ANG-3070 in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the company announced. ANG-3070 is an oral medication designed to block the activity of multiple protein receptors that contribute to…

Many chronic illness patients experience brain fog. Those living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive and life-threatening lung condition, are no exception. Due to being chronically under-oxygenated, especially as the disease progresses, many IPF patients find their brain fog prohibitive to important aspects of their life, such as excelling…

On Jan. 31, 2017, Dr. Steven Nathan, a pulmonary disease expert, sat on a stool in a clinic room across from my wife, Susan, and me, and confirmed my diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The gravity of my diagnosis hit Susan especially hard, to the point where every…

Ube Industries and HiLung are teaming up to advance HL001, an experimental therapy to prevent disease progression in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The companies, both based in Japan, anticipate launching clinical studies of HL001 in people by March 2024. “This most recent agreement solidifies the collaboration between Ube Industries…

Healthcare providers involved in diagnosing and treating rare diseases believe that increased physician education and collaboration with specialized facilities will have the greatest positive impact on treating these conditions over the next five years, according to results from a 2021 survey. Definitive Healthcare, a healthcare commercial intelligence company, conducted…

An extract of the plant Lemna minor L., also called duckweed, suppresses the signs and symptoms of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in disease-induced mice, a study suggests. More research to evaluate dosing and oral availability is recommended, study  authors noted. “Pulmonary Protein Oxidation and Oxidative Stress…

One of my biggest fears is being a nuisance to others. As much as possible, I try not to rely on anyone and have learned to become stubbornly independent. This is why living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a debilitating and life-threatening lung disease, has been so hard on me:…

Lung Therapeutics’ LTI-03, an investigational inhaled therapy for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), was safe and well-tolerated in healthy volunteers, with no reports of serious adverse events (side effects) or discontinuations, according to a Phase 1a trial. “We are pleased that LTI-03 has passed this important safety milestone as…