The cause of death is usually respiratory failure as a result of increased scarring of the air sacs in the lungs interfering with their ability to transfer oxygen to the bloodstream. The age of onset for the disease is between 40 and 70, although in recent years, individuals of a younger age have been affected. Vote to increase the budget of the National Institute of Health. In the past monies allocated to the NIH have resulted in biomedical breakthroughs that have more than repaid our investments in this institute. Write a letter to the National Institute of Health asking them to increase their funding for research in lung diseases.
Lung disease is currently the third leading cause of death in the United States.
Write a letter to Claude Lenfant, Director of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute asking that they increase funding for research on Pulmonary Fibrosis. Pulmonary Fibrosis is currently the most under funded of all the lung diseases. Write a letter to the Center for Disease Control asking that they put out a position paper on Pulmonary Fibrosis. Pulmonary Fibrosis is frequently misdiagnosed as Asthma, Emphysema or one of the various strains of Pneumonias. Most Internists and many Pulmonologists are unfamiliar with the disease and are unable to either diagnose or effectively treat the illness.