The average mortality rate of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is estimated to be 50.8 per 1,000,000 people per year. The mortality rate is now higher than recent mortality rates for a number of malignancies. Although IPF should no longer be considered a rare disease, there is no established treatment that definitely improves its outcome. Furthermore, about 10% of IPF causes a very rapid progression called "acute exacerbation".
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