On April 28th, 2020, Acromegaly Community, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to supporting acromegaly patients, will be hosting a patient focused drug development meeting (PFDD). These meetings are an opportunity for representatives from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to hear directly from patients about their daily challenges and how they hope that a new medication would improve their lives. If you are part of the acromegaly patient community, then you don’t want to miss this event.
About Acromegaly
Acromegaly is a condition that is characterized by the excessive release of growth hormone in the body after the growth plates have already closed. The disease is caused by overproduction of growth hormone by the pituitary gland, which usually occurs as a result of a tumor of the pituitary gland or of another organ in the body, such as the lungs or adrenal glands. Symptoms include enlargement of the feet, hands, nose, jaw, and forehead, deepening voice, and thick skin. The condition can occasionally cause serious complications like heart or kidney failure, colorectal cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Treatment may include radiation therapy, surgical removal of the tumor, and a number of medications to suppress growth hormone production. Most people see their symptoms disappear after successful treatment, and life expectancy is not affected. To learn more about acromegaly, click here.
Improving Patient Lives
Patient-focused drug development meetings are not merely an opportunity for the FDA and other stakeholders to hear about symptoms that patients deal with; they are also a means for them to understand the impacts of current treatments. This feedback allows the FDA and drug makers to understand how a future treatment can improve on older ones and understand the impacts of side effects.
While the in-person meeting will be held in Hyattsville, MD, patients will also be able to attend the event online. It is true that many patients with acromegaly respond successfully to current treatments, there are still a small number that do not and are in need of a more effective therapy.
Click here to learn more about this event.
To learn more about the work of Acromegaly Community, click here.
