Abstract
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a diffuse primarily fibrosing lung disease of unknown origin. Until 2011 IPF was considered untreatable, i.e. the currently used treatment modalities did not show any effectivity from the point of view of evidence-based medicine.
The introduction of pirfenidone counted for the milestone in the treatment of IPF. In the Czech republic this drug was available from autumn 2011 by means of so called named-patient programme and since 2012 after a registration in EU pirfenidone was available in the Czech republic via extraordinary reimbursement of imported drug.
Since 1st July 2014 is pirfenidone (ESBRIET, Roche) regularly reimbursed by healthcare insurance funds. Pirfenidone started new era for patients with IPF and for their physicians as well.
Aside this drug a new antifibrotic agent, nintedanib, is emerging on EU market (OFEV, Boehringer-Ingelheim). It is highly probably that in a near future more drugs influencing mechanisms of fibroproliferation will appear and IPF treatment options will offer a wide scale o phenotype- specific treatment modialities, combined treatment included.
All of us who care for IPF patients look for that with a hope.