Skip to main content

Contact your Congressional representatives and ask them to support Year of the Lung

Below is a brief article that was published in the American Thoracic Society's newsletter. I am going to write a similar one for HPS, but thought I'd go ahead and post theirs now as it's faster. I've been feeling not 100 percent, so I'm moving a little slow.

Year of the Lung is designed to bring attention to the need for more funding and public health attention for lung disorders. Although lung problems are leading killers, they don't begin to get the funding and attention of other organ systems.

For example, although the pulmonary fibrosis of HPS is rare, pulmonary fibrosis in general kills as many Americans every year as breast cancer, yet has a fraction of the funding or public support. (Not that I'd ever want to take anything away from breast cancer.)

If you want to help, you can contact your Congressional representatives about this resolution. A resolution doesn't carry the same weight as a law, but it will help to increase Congressional awareness of the issue.

The article from the ATS:

The ATS is working to increase momentum and support for the congressional Year of the Lung resolutions, H.Res 1122 and S. Res. 432, sponsored by Reps. Lewis (D-GA) and Stearns (R-FL) and Sens. Lincoln (D-AR) and Crapo (R-ID). H.Res. 1122 currently has 9 bipartisan cosponsors and S. Res. 1122 has two cosponsors. Both resolutions must gain many more cosponsors to secure House and Senate passage.

Hundreds of millions of people around the world suffer each year from treatable and preventable chronic respiratory disease such as tuberculosis, asthma, influenza, lung cancer and COPD. The connection between breath and life is fundamental, yet the evidence shows that lung health is not high on the public health agenda. H.Res 1122/S.Res. 432 aim to raise awareness and support increased research into lung disease.

Please contact your House Representative and two Senators by May 3 to request their cosponsorship of H.Res 1122 and S.Res. 432.

H.Res. 1122 cosponsors: Reps. Baldwin (D-WI), Chandler (D-KY), Ehlers (D-MI), Kennedy (D-RI), Moore (D-KS), Murphy (D-PA, Neal (D-MA), Stearns (R-FL), and Wu (D-OR).
S.Res 432 cosponsors: Sens. Crapo (R-ID) and Wicker (R-MS).
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ratner's Cheesecake

Here's another recipe from Toby! Thanks Toby......and I'll get the others posted soon! Ratner's Cheesecake and plain cookies Ratner's was a Jewish dairy restaurant in the lower East Side of Manhattan. This recipe, from my disintegrating, no longer in print Ratner's cookbook, is the closest I've ever gotten to reproducing the rich, heavy cheesecake my mother made when I was a kid. It's worth the time it takes to prepare and every last calorie. Dough Can be prepared in advance. Makes enough for two cakes. Can be frozen or used to make cookies – see recipe below. 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup shortening 1 teaspoon lemon extract 1 cup butter 2 eggs 3 cups sifted cake flour ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients with hands. Refrigerate 3 -4 hours, or preferably overnight. Filling (for...
1 comment
Read more

Some good news about Pirfenidone

Below is a press release from Intermune, the company that makes Pirfenidone. They have essentially reviewed the various clinical trials going on, and decided that Pirfenidone is safe and well tolerated. That would pretty much go along with what we've observed in the HPS community as well. We have a few folks that have been on the drug since the late 90s and continue to do well. Of course, as a journalist, I do have to say consider the source - but at the same time, as someone in a Pirfenidone trial, it's good to know. Results of Comprehensive Safety Analysis of pirfenidone In IPF Patients Presented At European Respiratory Meeting - Analysis shows safety and tolerability of pirfenidone across four clinical trials - VIENNA, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- InterMune, Inc. (Nasdaq: ITMN ) today announced that the results of a comprehensive review of safety data from four clinical studies were presented at the 2009 European Respiratory Society Annual Congress in Vienna, Austria...
Post a Comment
Read more

The next generation with Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome

I'm so behind on posting about the trip to Puerto Rico. Since the episode of Mystery Diagnosis on Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome ran right after we got home, it's been a little busy. These, however, are my favorite pictures from Puerto Rico. I know, not pretty senery etc - but these little guys and gals inspire me. They are the next generation of folks with HPS, and if we keep up the hard work, they will live better lives because of it. They motivate me.
Post a Comment
Read more