109 HCON 178 IH: Recognizing the need to pursue research into the causes, a treatment, and an eventual cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, supporting the goals and ideals of National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week, and for other purposes. U.S. House of Representatives 2005-06-14 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 178 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 14, 2005 Mr. Norwood (for himself, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Price of Georgia, Mr. Kingston, Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Gingrey, Mr. Hall, Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Upton, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Linder, and Mr. Pickering) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Recognizing the need to pursue research into the causes, a treatment, and an eventual cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, supporting the goals and ideals of National Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week, and for other purposes.

Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a serious lung disorder causing progressive, incurable lung scarring; Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is one of about 200 disorders called interstitial lung diseases; Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is the most common form of interstitial lung disease; Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a debilitating and generally fatal disease marked by progressive scarring of the lungs, causing an irreversible loss of the lung tissue’s ability to transport oxygen; Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis progresses quickly, often causing disability or death within a few short years; Whereas there is no proven cause of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; Whereas approximately 83,000 United States citizens have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and 31,000 new cases are diagnosed each year; Whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is often misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed; Whereas the median survival rate for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients is 2 to 3 years, and about two thirds of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients die within 5 years; and Whereas a need has been identified to increase awareness and detection of this misdiagnosed and underdiagnosed disorder: Now, therefore, be it

That the Congress— (1)recognizes the need to pursue research into the causes, a treatment, and an eventual cure for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; (2)supports the work of the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis and its partner organizations for their great efforts to educate, support, and provide hope for individuals who suffer from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, including the work of the Coalition to organize a national Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week; (3)supports the designation of an appropriate week as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week; (4)encourages the President to issue a proclamation designating a national Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week; (5)congratulates the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis for its efforts to educate the public about idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, while funding research to help find a cure for this disorder; and (6)supports the goals and ideals of a national Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Week.