PPTA statement says plasma protein products are safe, not affected by Zika virus

Saturday, September 24, 2016

The Plasma Protein Therapeutics Association (PPTA) has issued a statement saying that the safety of plasma protein therapies is not affected by the Zika virus (ZIKV). "According to recommendations from health authorities, measures such as halting collections, donor deferral or testing are not necessary for plasma which is further manufactured into plasma protein therapies," the PPTA said in...

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20 million would lose health coverage under Trump's plan, study finds

Friday, September 23, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new study that examines some major healthcare proposals from the presidential candidates finds that Donald Trump would cause about 20 million to lose coverage while Hillary Clinton would provide coverage for an additional...

Number of uninsured falls again in 2015

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

The federal health overhaul may still be experiencing implementation problems. But new federal data show it is achieving its main goal — to increase the number of Americans with health insurance coverage. The Affordable Care Act...

Arrowhead begins Phase 2 trial of possible Alpha-1 liver treatment

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

California-based Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced Tuesday that it has begun a Phase 2 clinical study of ARC-AAT, the company's potential treatment for liver disease in people with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD), using the...

Education Day, then Step Forward for Alpha-1 walk in Colorado this weekend

Monday, August 1, 2016

Learn more about Alpha-1, take a walk in the park, and get a free scoop of ice cream during a weekend packed with learning, exercise and fun in Colorado. Robert Sandhaus, MD, addresses Alphas during a 2014 support group picnic at his home,...

Clinical Practice Guidelines published to help physicians identify and treat Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency in adults

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

The Journal of the COPD Foundation has published new clinical recommendations designed to guide doctors and other healthcare providers on how to properly diagnose and treat Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1) in adults. Robert Sandhaus,...

House Republicans win battle In major legal challenge to Obamacare

Thursday, May 5, 2016

The Affordable Care Act could be headed for another major legal showdown after a federal judge on Thursday handed a victory to House Republicans seeking to block subsidies for millions of low-income people. John Boehner Affordable Care Act...

Pope calls for "empathy" in treating people with rare diseases

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Pope Francis told participants in a Vatican health summit on Friday that a renewed sense of empathy should fuel their work and research, particularly regarding treatment for people who have rare diseases. Pope Francis “It is fundamentally...

Medical errors overtake COPD as No. 3 cause of death in US, study finds

Monday, May 2, 2016

Heart disease, cancer ... and medical errors? A new tally of mistakes made in American hospitals suggests that medical errors are the No. 3 cause of death in the U.S. At least 250,000 deaths each year can be attributed to medical care that has...

Nurse practitioners raise awareness of Alpha-1

Friday, April 22, 2016

Carla Ladig suffered from shortness of breath, bronchitis and other lung problems for 17 years, but did not know the cause. Dawn Dunn Two and a half years ago, her symptoms became so severe that she was admitted to the intensive care unit at...

Growing scarcity of liquid oxygen endangers patients, advocates say

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Alphas and others with severe breathing problems who require high-flow oxygen are increasingly finding it difficult to obtain liquid oxygen, effectively making them homebound, forcing them to carry heavy compressed oxygen tanks around with them,...

The Alpha-1 Project extends funding for NIH-NCATS fellowship for a third year

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

The Alpha-1 Project has announced that it will extend funding for the postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) for a third year. The extension follows...

Most doctors unsure how to discuss end-of-life care, survey says

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Doctors know it’s important to talk with their patients about end-of-life care. But they’re finding it tough to start those conversations — and when they do, they’re not sure what to say, according to a national poll...