Doctors, scientists and caregivers from around the world are meeting today in Salt Lake City for the 2013 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference (NACFC), sponsored by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

From Oct. 17 through Oct. 19, nearly 4,000 attendees will exchange ideas and discuss the latest in CF research and care. This year's meeting comes at a time of significant advances in CF drug development, following the approval in 2012 of the first drug to treat the underlying cause of the disease in a small segment of the CF population. Additional trials are now underway that could potentially bring cutting-edge new treatments to greater numbers of people with CF.

“This gathering reflects the spirit of innovation and cooperation that has contributed so much to the progress we are making in our quest to find a cure,” said Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., president and CEO of the CF Foundation. “Together with the entire CF community, dedicated researchers, scientists, caregivers and doctors are changing the course of this disease.”

Attendees will explore such topics as:

• Emerging therapies targeting the basic genetic defect in CF.
• Progress of research to address the pulmonary manifestations of CF.
• Early detection and treatment of CF-related diabetes.
• Meeting the needs of the growing adult CF population.
• Drug discovery and development programs to ultimately reach 100 percent of CF gene mutations.

For the first time, the conference's three plenary sessions will be streamed live. To watch the live sessions, you must register online beforehand. Please note: the content of these sessions is intended for researchers and medical professionals and may not be appropriate for a general audience, especially children.

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