Reports From the Field: Website provides info on IPF
The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) has launched a comprehensive web site to educate health care providers, patients, and their families on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a little known but ultimately fatal lung disease. The web site (www.coalitionforpf.com) offers information and resources on IPF that helps people to better understand the deadly disease.
IPF is a fatal disease characterized by eventual deterioration of the lungs for which there is no known cause or cure. Many victims of IPF die within the first five years after contracting the disease. The disease is characterized by a progressive scarring and deterioration of the lungs. Approximately 50,000 Americans suffer from IPF — nearly twice the number of cystic fibrosis patients.
The web site includes symptoms of the disease, diagnosis, treatment and other information concerning IPF. A new booklet for physicians contains information on the disorder and highlights recent advances in its diagnosis, research, and treatment.
The CPF web site includes a special section that addresses the needs of patients with information on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, and the value of a support network. "Before we even announced its existence, we received nearly 4,500 visitors to the CPF web site (more than 73,000 hits)," said David Happel, senior director of pulmonary products at InterMune Inc. and chairman of the CPF’s Strategic Advisory Board.
"There is a real need for credible and accessible information on IPF. It is our goal as a coalition to provide patients and physicians with the answers, resources and support they require to help fight this battle against IPF," he adds.
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