Jerry Cahill's popular Living. Breathing. Succeeding series of podcasts provides information and inspirations.
Cystic fibrosis is a fatal genetic disorder that affects more than 30,000 Americans. Although CF is not yet curable, the situation is not hopeless. Every day since the CF gene was discovered in 1989, the pace of CF research has greatly accelerated. Today, 40 percent of the CF population is over the age of 18. And thanks to advances in medicine and technology, these adults are enjoying an improved quality of life.

Research

Scientists and researchers are working every day to find a cure for cystic fibrosis and also to develop treatments that greatly improve the quality of life for CF patients. Each day since the cystic fibrosis gene was discovered in 1989, the pace of CF research has greatly accelerated, and scientists continue to find ways to help those who live with the disease.

Drug Discovery Pipeline

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has built a dynamic “pipeline” for the development of more new potential CF therapies than ever before. To treat a complex disease like cystic fibrosis, therapies must target problems in the airways and the digestive system. In the CF pipeline, there are always promising new therapies designed to rectify the faulty gene and/or its faulty protein product – the root cause of the disease.  Visit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation drug development pipeline page.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies organized to answer specific questions about new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials (also called medical research and research studies) are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation maintains a database of ongoing clinical trials, with information about participation requirements, findings, etc.  Visit the CFF web site page on clinical trials.