About Autoimmune Disease

Autoimmune Disease affects 1 in 5 people from mild quality of life inconveniences, to chronic, systemic and life threatening health conditions, to surviving to a life of chemotherapy, steroids and/or replacement therapies  (and by association it affects their families, friends, employers, community, health care system and economy on all levels,). It quickly becomes clear how this one disease with over a hundred names, affects everyone reading this paragraph in some way… either directly or indirectly.

The World Health Organization does not have Autoimmune Disease on the list of International Disease Classification, thus it is not an option when recording morbidity and/or mortality. Millions die each year globally from complications of their ongoing struggle with one of the 140+ Autoimmune Diseases, yet only a handful actually exist on the classification list. All others give their final vote on this planet to a disease group that had nothing to do with their ongoing daily struggles. The only way to raise awareness, funding and knowledge about this deadly disease group (like cancer but longer lasting) is to ensure that the global mortality stats paint an accurate picture of reality… this is not happening right now. Help us right this wrong by adding your name to the petition.

What is Autoimmune Disease?

Autoimmune Disease is akin to having the army that is supposed to protect your homeland turn on you and pillage the land it lives on and kill its populations. It’s not a malicious attack but one based on confusion, and a lack of the ability to recognize self from non-self.

There are over a hundred Autoimmune Diseases with many names, some famous (MS, Lupus, Arthritis, Celiac, etc.) most are extremely rare, but all are an immune response turned on its own body.

There is no cure, and treatment is often toxic only addressing the symptoms or damage incurred, with remission being a best case scenario.

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE FACT SHEET

Autoimmune Disease…is a major health problem

• The National Institutes of Health (NIH estimates up to 23.5 * million Americans suffer from autoimmune disease and that the prevalence is rising.
• Researchers have identified 80-100 different autoimmune diseases and suspect at least 40 additional diseases of having an autoimmune basis.
• These diseases are chronic and can be life-threatening.
• Autoimmune disease is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in female children and women in all age groups up to 64 years. of age.
• A close genetic relationship exists among autoimmune disease, explaining clustering in individuals and families as well as a common pathway of disease.
• Commonly used immunosuppressant treatments lead to devastating long-term side effects.
• The Institute of Medicine reports that the US is behind other countries in research into immune system self-recognition, the process involved in autoimmune disease.
• Understanding how to modulate immune system activity will benefit transplant recipients, cancer patients, AIDS patients and infectious disease patients.

…faces critical obstacles in diagnosis and treatment.

• symptoms cross many specialties and can affect all body organs.Medical education provides minimal learning about
• Medical education provides minimal learning about autoimmune disease.Specialists are generally unaware of interrelationships among the different autoimmune diseases or advances in treatment outside their own specialty area.
• Specialists are generally unaware of interrelationships among the different autoimmune diseases or advances in treatment outside their own specialty area.Initial symptoms are often intermittent and unspecific until the disease becomes acute.
• Initial symptoms are often intermittent and unspecific until the disease becomes acute.
• Research is generally disease-specific and limited in scope. More information-sharing and crossover among research projects on different autoimmune diseases is needed.

…offers surprising statistical comparisons with other disease groups.

• NIH estimates up to 23.5 million Americans have an AD. In comparison, cancer affects up to 9 million and heart disease up to 22 million.NIH estimates annual direct health care costs for AD to be in the range of $100 billion (source: NIH presentation by Dr. Fauci, NIAID). In comparison, cancers costs are $57 billion (source:
• NIH estimates annual direct health care costs for AD to be in the range of $100 billion (source: NIH presentation by Dr. Fauci, NIAID). In comparison, cancers costs are $57 billion (source: NIH,ACS), and heart and stroke costs are $200 billion (source: NIH, AHA).NIH research funding for AD in 2003 came to $591 million. In comparison, cancer funding came to $6.1 billion; and heart and stroke, to $2.4 billion (source: NIH).
• NIH research funding for AD in 2003 came to $591 million. In comparison, cancer funding came to $6.1 billion; and heart and stroke, to $2.4 billion (source: NIH)
• The NIH Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan states; “Research discoveries of the last decade have made autoimmune research one of the most promising areas of new discovery.”
• The NIH Autoimmune Diseases Research Plan states; “Research discoveries of the last decade have made autoimmune research one of the most promising areas of new discovery.”
• According to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Women’s Health, autoimmune disease and disorders ranked #1 in a top ten list of most popular health topics requested by callers to the National Women’s Health Information Center.

*  AARDA says that 50 million Americans suffer from autoimmune disease. Why the difference? The NIH numbers only include 24 diseases for which good epidemiology studies were available.

Information imported from American Autoimmune Disease Related Association (AARDA http://www.aarda.org)

Share this: