House Passes Resolution To Recognize Cystic Fibrosis

Main Category: Cystic Fibrosis
Article Date: 16 Jul 2008 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution to encourage public awareness and understanding of cystic fibrosis, and support research to find a cure for the disease. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation applauds the House for this important achievement.

Introduced by co-chairs of the Congressional Cystic Fibrosis Caucus, Representatives Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Cliff Stearns (R-Fl.), this legislation recognizes the unique challenges that face people with cystic fibrosis.

"Oh behalf of the cystic fibrosis community, I want to thank members of Congress for their commitment to fight cystic fibrosis. We are making dramatic progress in the development of new therapies and in extending life expectancy for those with this devastating disease," said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Foundation. "We are proud to have Congressmen Markey and Stearns on our team as champions in the fight against cystic fibrosis."

Cystic fibrosis is a fatal genetic disease that affects 30,000 children and adults in the United States. When the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation was created in 1955, few children lived to attend elementary school. Today, as a result of dramatic improvements in research and care fueled by the Foundation, the median age of survival for a person with CF is 37 years. The Foundation continues to work to develop life-extending drugs for people with CF and more than 30 drugs are currently in development.

About the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the leading organization in the United States devoted to curing and controlling cystic fibrosis. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., the Foundation has more than 80 chapters and branch offices throughout the country and supports and accredits a nationwide network of 115 care centers. To advance the search for a cure, the Foundation has invested nearly $300 million in promising drug research in the biotech industry since 1998. For more information, visit http://www.cff.org.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
http://www.cff.org