Cystic Fibrosis patient pleased with new medicine he says is improving his life
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OMAHA, NE (KPTM ) — New medicine approved by the Food and Drug Administration is giving people who suffer from Cystic Fibrosis, a disease that leads to severe respiratory and digestive problems, hope for the future.
The medicine is not considered by doctors to be a cure. Instead, it’s designed to make a difference in how people feel.
According to Dr. Peter Murphy at UNMC, there is now hope where there wasn’t before. He says it comes in the form of a newly-approved drug called Trikafta.
“It makes them more able to exercise and be active and do the things they want to do.”
Dr. Murphy calls the medicine a breakthrough for 90 percent of Cystic Fibrosis patients.
“Nothing up until now has changed the rate of decline of lung function.”
Nicholas Bell, who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, told FOX 42 News Thursday he’s part of that 90 percent. He’s satisfied with the medicine.
“It has completely flipped my life upside down. So many things I wasn’t able to do previously, I’m able to do.”
Bell says the medicine he takes is a game-changer, and he says he has plans he wants to pursue in 2020.
“My goal is to get off oxygen overnight. I still require oxygen in my sleep.”
Even though Trikafta isn’t cheap, Bell says he’s getting the help he needs along with others.
“For the most part, people are able to get it. There are financial assistance copay programs that are helping those, if their insurance does deny or doesn’t cover it fully, get it at a cheaper copay.”
Bell told FOX 42 News Thursday he plans to travel to Colorado in 2020 for a fundraising event raising Cystic Fibrosis awareness. That event includes a hike up a mountain. He says he’s currently training for it and hopes to get as high up on the mountain as possible.
Dr. Murphy says the medical breakthrough does not mean work related to Cystic Fibrosis is over. He says 10 percent of patients won’t benefit from the medicine and that’s 10 percent too many.
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