The Temple Lung Center has joined the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) as a founding member of the FSR Global Sarcoidosis Clinic Alliance.
The FSR Global Sarcoidosis Clinic Alliance brings together sarcoidosis clinics and hospitals committed to finding a cure and offering evidence-based, patient-centric care for those living with sarcoidosis. Alliance members benefit from innovative resources, sustainable programming, and tools to accelerate treatment, research, and the continuum of patient care.
“Sarcoidosis is a complex disease that requires specialized multidisciplinary care,” said Rohit Gupta, MD, Associate Professor of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, and Director of Temple’s sarcoidosis program. “As a member of this Alliance, Temple will strengthen its commitment to meeting the needs of sarcoidosis patients.”
This groundbreaking initiative will have a worldwide impact on advancing sarcoidosis research and improving the lives of those with sarcoidosis through patient and clinician education, engagement, and support.
The Alliance intends to ensure that sarcoidosis patients in every community have access to relevant information, including clinical trials and patient support services. While clinicians will benefit from networking events and forums to help share knowledge toward better care, research will be accelerated through FSR’s global assets and funding. The Alliance also aims to boost business outcomes through both patient benchmarks and community health improvement services.
Sarcoidosis is best treated at a hospital that sees a high number of cases, and one that has a wide range of experienced medical specialists. The Sarcoidosis Program at the Temple Lung Center offers both, as well as the most advanced treatment options and access to clinical trials.
Temple’s program is also recognized by the World Association for Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders (WASOG) and FSR as an official Sarcoidosis Center of Excellence.
About Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease of unknown cause characterized by the formation of granulomas—tiny clumps of inflammatory cells—in one or more organs of the body. Sarcoidosis affects the lungs in approximately 90% of cases, but it can affect almost any organ in the body and involve multiple organs at the same time. Approximately 5-10% of all patients diagnosed will suffer from advanced sarcoidosis. Despite increasing advances in research, sarcoidosis remains difficult to diagnose with limited treatment options and no known cure. African American women experience the highest incidence of sarcoidosis in the U.S. compared to any other group. They are more likely to experience chronic and severe symptoms and higher hospitalization rates than Caucasians and more than double that of African American men.