Stem cells found in human umbilical cords limited lung damage associated with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) by reducing an excessive inflammatory immune response, a recent study of mice has found. Understanding how these stem cells interact with the immune system could improve future PF cell therapies, the researchers noted. The…
Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Help Limit Inflammation in Mice
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is applauding the Biden administration for announcing a rule to protect consumers from surprise medical billing, in a joint statement with 26 other U.S. patient organizations. The interim final rule will implement patient protections required by the No Surprises Act. Surprise…
On Aug. 14, 2020, around 10 p.m., my successful lung transplant was completed. Now I was in the daunting recovery phase. Before being discharged from the hospital, I had to meet three requirements: Walk 1,000 feet without supplemental oxygen. Walk continuously on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Have all my…
Switching antifibrotic treatment is generally well-tolerated among people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and those who did generally lived several years longer than those who did not, a study from Japan reports. Findings suggest that switching from one antifibrotic to another “is feasible and may improve prognosis [disease course]…
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…
AllianceRx Walgreens Prime, a specialty and home delivery pharmacy, is partnering with TailorMed, a healthcare technology company, to help lower out-of-pocket prescription costs for specialty pharmacy patients. Medications attained through specialty pharmacies are those used to treat rare and chronic conditions in the U.S., and are often extremely costly. For…
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) co-occurring with a second lung disorder represents a distinct new IPF subtype with a poor prognosis and its own set of treatment considerations, a recent study found. The discovery of this new IPF subtype, made with the help of a computerized image analysis tool, could…
The Pulmonary Fibrosis News Forums offer a one-of-a-kind platform to learn about this life-threatening lung disease firsthand. Patients, caregivers, and professionals alike come together to discuss a plethora of topics pertaining to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Many of those discussions focus on how to effectively manage the disease, and…
A subset of fibroblasts that produce a protein called meflin in lung tissues taken from people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was found to prevent fibrosis, or tissue scarring, in a disease mouse model, scientists reported. “Our research, led by a collaborative team from Nagoya University in Japan and…
How do you learn to love your body while struggling with a rare illness? I used to ask myself this almost daily. I love to eat, and comfort food provides just that — comfort. Vegetables and fruits sound delicious, but they wouldn’t be the first thing I run to…
