News

Goiter and hypothyroidism — conditions linked to thyroid gland problems — are no longer major concerns for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), according to recent research showing that only a fraction of patients now have severe thyroid dysfunction, possibly mirroring lesser use of iodine-based drugs. The study, “Thyroid Function in…

Pulmatrix recently released an educational, animated video to raise awareness of problematic complex lung diseases and to describe encouraging new dry treatment options for patients with lung conditions including cystic fibrosis (CF). The video can be watched here: [ir.pulmatrix.com] It begins “Everyday you take over 20,000 breaths. Imagine if everyone of…

Individuals carrying the mutated gene for cystic fibrosis (CF) show an increased risk for asthma, in particular CF carriers from Asian countries. The study, “Risk of asthma in heterozygous carriers for cystic fibrosis: A meta-analysis,” was published in the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis. People with CF are known to have a higher…

Interaction between bacteria naturally occurring in the lungs and disease-causing bacteria may be making it harder to clear the latter from the body, new study finds. This is a major problem especially for people with cystic fibrosis, who are already susceptible to lung infections. The scientists hope that this knowledge will help develop better anti-bacterial therapies for people with cystic fibrosis and other lung conditions.

In March, the U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) issued a draft guidance against recommending Orkambi (lumacaftor-ivacaftor marketed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals) for treating cystic fibrosis (CF). The agency’s independent appraisal committee concluded that the cost of Orkambi was considerably higher than the current standard of care, and it could not be…

International Biophysics Corporation recently received CE Mark, Health Canada, and Australian TGA approval for AffloVest, allowing the company to sell and market the vest in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and in countries using the CE mark. The AffloVest is a portable high frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) vest that promotes airway…