[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14489]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   PULMONARY FIBROSIS AWARENESS MONTH

  (Mr. PAULSEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, September is Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness 
Month and a time to shine a light on a disease that is deadly. While 
some may not be familiar with pulmonary fibrosis, approximately 200,000 
Americans suffer from the disease.
  This serious illness takes the lives of 40,000 Americans every single 
year, which equates to about one death every 13 minutes. That is the 
same mortality rate as breast cancer.
  There is no known cure for pulmonary fibrosis. There is no known 
treatment to extend the life of a patient or improve the symptoms. As a 
result, the median survival rate is just 2\1/2\ years, and as many as 
80 percent of patients die within 5 years of diagnosis.
  Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity to bring attention to this 
serious illness that affects so many. With more research and a renewed 
commitment, we will find a cure to this deadly disease, and I will keep 
working to make this a reality.

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