Protect Yourself, Get a Flu Shot

Scleroderma Foundation eLetter

eLetter #423

Greetings!

Thank You For Reading

We Appreciate Your Feedback

Each week, the Scleroderma Foundation strives to provide you with the best information to help you manage living with scleroderma or support a loved one or friend who may have the disease.

To ensure we're giving you the most beneficial information possible, please consider providing us with feedback about the weekly eLetter so you can continue to receive the best information each week.

Please email your feedback (with "eLetter Comments" in the subject line) to webmaster@scleroderma.org. We value your opinion, and thank you for supporting the Scleroderma Foundation.

Calling All Young Picassos!

We're in need of some creative artwork from our youngest friends! We're searching for the best winter-themed drawing to be on the Foundation's holiday greeting card.

To enter, you must be 15 or younger. Email your drawing, along with the artist's name, age, city and phone number, to Mary Ann Berman at maberman@scleroderma.org by Friday, Nov. 4.

Good luck and happy drawing!

Protect Yourself - Get a Flu Shot

Most people can recover from the flu without any problems, but certain people - such as those with compromised immune systems or who are older than 65 - are at high risk for serious complications.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates approximately 5 to 20 percent of the U.S. population will get the flu each year. On average, more than 23,000 people could die from complications.

The best way to prevent any serious complications and risks is to protect yourself and your family by receiving an annual flu shot.

Learn more about the seasonal flu and where you can get a flu shot at www.flu.gov. Find out if you should receive the flu shot and you have scleroderma in this article by Thomas Medsger, M.D.

NORD Study Says FDA Is Flexible in Reviewing Rare Disease Therapies

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) released a landmark report documenting flexibility in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review of potential treatments for patients with rare diseases.

This is the first study of its kind ever conducted and the first time that there has been a systematic examination of the basis for approval for any category of drug products extending over such a long period of time. The study demonstrates a decades-long pattern of flexibility in FDA review of orphan drugs.

Read the full press release from NORD.

What is Systemic Scleroderma?

Systemic scleroderma is an autoimmune disorder that affects the skin and internal organs. Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system malfunctions and attacks the body's own tissues and organs. The condition is characterized by the buildup of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the skin and other organs. It also is called systemic sclerosis because the fibrosis can affect organs other than the skin. Fibrosis is due to the excess production of a tough protein called collagen, which normally strengthens and supports connective tissues throughout the body.

Learn more about systemic scleroderma from the Genetics Home Reference, an online tool provided by the U.S. National Library of Medicine®.

The War Within: Women & Autoimmunity

The Society for Women's Health Research held a Congressional briefing Oct. 11 to discuss women and autoimmune diseases. The briefing featured two panelists who spoke about autoimmune diseases in women, and the efforts needed to advance the understanding and treatment of these often serious conditions.