Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Announces Establishment of National Scientific Conference for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Physicians and Patients

Inaugural IPF Summit: From Bench to Bedside to be held in Chicago, IL December 1-3, 2011 in Partnership with National Jewish Health and France Foundation

CHICAGO, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) today announced that it is establishing a national scientific conference for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) physicians and patients beginning in 2011. IPF Summit 2011: From Bench to Bedside, will be held at the Marriott Magnificent Mile in Chicago, IL on December 1-3, 2011, and will feature innovative continuing medical education programs for pulmonologists to improve their clinical understanding of IPF, as well as a patient program to address the growing educational needs of IPF patients, family members, and caregivers.  Conference registration will begin December 1, 2010 on the PFF's Web site at www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org.

"We are thrilled to establish and fund this Summit, where the latest information in research and patient care is shared," said Daniel M. Rose, MD, president of the PFF. "We hope that the Summit will foster a collaborative environment to improve education and awareness of IPF, and to identify new approaches to treat and ultimately find a cure for this devastating disease."

Kevin Brown, MD, Chairman of the PFF's Medical Advisory Board, has been appointed as Chairman of the IPF Summit Steering Committee. Dr. Brown is the Vice Chair, Department of Medicine & Professor of Medicine at National Jewish Health (Denver, CO).  The full committee is expected to be named in the coming weeks.  

"I am honored to be working with the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation on such an important endeavor", said Dr. Brown. "I look forward to working with the PFF and the Summit Steering Committee to deliver a unique program focused on the clinical and basic aspects of pulmonary fibrosis for scientists, clinicians, patients, families and their caregivers."

The tentative educational objectives of the Summit include an explanation of the pathophysiology of IPF based on the most current data; using a systematic approach to accurately diagnose IPF; discussing recent evidence for treatments in the management of IPF; recognize genetic components of IPF; describe the role of lung transplantation in IPF; providing patient lifestyle management tools which improve functional status; and developing a comprehensive approach to the management of IPF, that includes both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies.  Patients will also be eligible to attend medical education symposia free of charge.

The Summit will also include an opportunity for researchers to present their recent research findings to conference registrants through a poster session.  Posters will be selected through a rigorous peer-review process coordinated by the Summit Steering Committee. Poster application guidelines will be available on the PFF's Web page at www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org beginning December 1, 2010.

The patient symposia will highlight a variety of topics important to help those affected by IPF to understand their condition and manage their quality of life while living with IPF, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to treatment, lung transplantation, pulmonary rehabilitation, new research and clinical trials in IPF, and resources for IPF patient and their families.

The IPF Summit has been planned in accordance with the Essentials and Standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). National Jewish Health is accredited by the ACCME to provide CME. National Jewish Health, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, and The France Foundation are committed to developing a scientific, peer-reviewed CME initiative that is fair and balanced. In this partnership, National Jewish Health is the accredited provider, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is responsible for content development, and The France Foundation is the educational partner.  

To learn more about the IPF Summit, please visit our Web page at www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org or call 888-733-6741.

About Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), IPF is a condition in which over a period of time the lung tissue becomes thickened, stiff, and scarred. The development of the scar tissue is called fibrosis. As the lung tissue becomes scarred and thicker, the lungs lose their ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. As a result, the brain and other organs don't get the oxygen they need. In some cases, doctors can determine the cause of the fibrosis, but in most cases, there is not a known cause. When there is no known etiology for the fibrosis (and certain pathologic criteria are met) the disease is called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or IPF. IPF affects approximately 200,000 Americans and an estimated 40,000 Americans pass away from IPF each year.

About the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

The mission of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is to find a cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by funding research, advocating for pulmonary fibrosis issues, promoting disease awareness, and providing a compassionate environment for supporting patients and their loved ones. We aim to accomplish this by working with the medical community to drive new research, increase research funding, by representing the needs of our constituents in Washington, D.C. through national advocacy, and by developing caring relationships with patients and their families throughout the course of their disease.  For more information visit www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org or call 888-733-6741.

About National Jewish Health

National Jewish Health is known worldwide for treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders, and for groundbreaking medical research. Founded in 1899 as a nonprofit hospital, National Jewish remains the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to these disorders. Since 1998, U.S. News & World Report has ranked National Jewish the #1 respiratory hospital in the nation.  For more information visit www.nationaljewish.org.

About the France Foundation

The France Foundation has been providing quality continuing medical education for health care professionals for over 10 years. Founded in 1999, The France Foundation has been at the forefront of the planning, development, and implementation of multidisciplinary certified education. The company specializes in curriculum-based education aimed at providing learners with the opportunity to improve their performance as health care professionals through a series of educational interactions in a variety of formats. For more information visit www.francefoundation.com.

SOURCE The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation