More Focus on Cystic Fibrosis Needed
04/Dec/2006
The news that the child of Mr Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer and the UK's Prime Minister in waiting, has Cystic Fibrosis (CF) should focus public attention on the plight of young Australians who have the condition according to Mr Terry Stewart, CEO of Cystic Fibrosis Australia (CFA).
Mr Stewart says that in spite of the fact that Australia leads the world in many areas, research into CF is still hampered by lack of public support and funding. He points out that the screening of new born babies for CF in NSW began twenty five years ago and is now nation wide. Early diagnosis leads to earlier treatment and consequently plays an important part in lessening damage to the lungs and other organs affected by CF. Life expectancy in Australia for people with CF is now 35 years compared to the UK’s 31.
Although there is still no cure, Mr Stewart says latest statistics from CFA’s electronic data registry launched earlier this year confirm that the dramatic improvement in life expectancy that has been shown in overseas studies is also evident here. The total number of deaths of Australians with CF has halved since 1998. Even more emphatic has been the decline in deaths of younger people. The six years from 1998 to 2004 saw a fall of 70 per cent in the number of deaths of people with CF aged under 20 years.
Mr Stewart went on to say that the Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust administered by CFA funds a number of research projects every year. Over half a million dollars has just been awarded to a number of CF Researchers in Australia for projects to start in 2007.
It is hoped that findings from research will eventually lead to control of CF but the number of projects continues to depend on public donations. He would like to see a rise in funding and a fall in deaths similar to that in cot deaths, which have fallen from 513 in 1989 to 59 in 2004. (Source: SMH Good Weekend Dec 2, 2006).
