10 Co-Sponsors Added to PF Research Enhancement Act (H.R. 1079)

SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis (CPF) held its seventh annual National Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) Awareness Week and added 10 additional Members of Congress as co-sponsors to the first-ever request for a Congressional allocation to fund research on this deadly disease. Currently, there are 52 co-sponsors of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act (H.R. 1079) in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill may lead to treatments and a cure for the deadly lung disease that claims 40,000 lives a year, the same number lost to breast cancer.

Determined advocates for action on PF, including patients and family members, held 60 meetings on Capitol Hill. For the second year, advocates focused on securing support for passage of H.R. 1079 and continuing to raise awareness of PF issues to Members of Congress and in communities nationwide. The majority of the Capitol Hill meetings took place with Members who serve on the Energy & Commerce committee and on the Energy & Commerce subcommittee on health. The Energy & Commerce committee is the committee of jurisdiction for the PFREA.

"It was great to be on the Hill again this year for many reasons," said Liz Darcy, a PF patient and mother of four adult children, two of whom joined her on the Hill. "I'm happy to still be alive and I'm thankful to be able to help further this cause and ask for support of H.R. 1079." Darcy, who is awaiting a lung transplant has been to Capitol Hill four years in a row. This year, her condition further declined, forcing her to wear supplemental oxygen and slowing her progress through the halls of Congress. Less than 500 patients a year with PF receive a lung transplant each year, the only known way to survive the disease.

The CPF and advocates also met with their champions, Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA) and Congressman Mike Castle (R-DE) who introduced H.R. 1079. They stressed the bipartisan nature of the historic legislation that would authorize $16 million in new federal funding to create the first national patient registry for PF, and provide much needed support for research into the deadly lung disease. Both Congressmen have lost members of their families to PF.

"We are pleased to have such strong leadership on the bill and are working to increase momentum to soon gain passage of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act," said Mishka Michon, CPF Chief Executive Officer.

For further information on the CPF's advocacy efforts,, please visit www.coalitionforpf.org call us at (888)-222-8541, or email us at info@coalitionforpf.org.

About Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF)

Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) is a lung disorder characterized by a progressive scarring -- known as fibrosis -- and deterioration of the lungs, which slowly robs its victims of their ability to breathe. Approximately 128,000 Americans suffer from PF, and there is currently no known cause or cure. An estimated 48,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. PF is difficult to diagnose and an estimated two-thirds of patients die within five years of diagnosis. Sometimes PF can be linked to a particular cause, such as certain environmental exposures, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, residual infection, or autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma or rheumatoid arthritis. However, in many instances, no known cause can be established. When this is the case, it is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

About the CPF's Campaign ACT

Since 2002, the CPF has been leading a national advocacy effort directed toward Congress, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to increase research funding for PF and accelerate efforts to find a cure for this devastating lung disorder. The CPF has also actively advocated for passage of legislation important to the PF community in the areas of Medicare and Social Security coverage. The CPF as well as its National PF Awareness Week have been formally recognized on Capitol Hill, most recently with the passage of H.R. 182 in 2007, which was the first-ever Congressional recognition of the need for increased research funding and improved public awareness of PF in the United States. This resolution laid the groundwork for the introduction of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Research Enhancement Act in 2008 and again in 2009.

About the CPF

The CPF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in 2001 to accelerate research efforts leading to a cure for pulmonary fibrosis (PF), while educating, supporting, and advocating for the community of patients, families, and medical professionals fighting this disease. The CPF funds promising research into new approaches to treat and cure PF; provides patients and families with comprehensive education materials, resources, and hope; serves as a voice for national advocacy of PF issues; and works to improve awareness of PF in the medical community as well as the general public. The CPF's nonprofit partners include many of the most respected medical centers and healthcare organizations in the U.S. With more than 19,000 members nationwide, the CPF is the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. dedicated to advocating for those with PF. For more information please visit www.coalitionforpf.org or call (888) 222-8541.

SOURCE Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis