Disease Resources
Innovation.org highlights important and innovative research into new treatments for diseases affecting people around the world. Click on the links below to read more about specific diseases and advances in treatment.
December - AIDS
According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, more than 980,000 cases of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) have been reported in the United States to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 1981, and more than 1,000,000 Americans may be infected with HIV, one-quarter of whom are unaware of their infection.
(read more)
November - Alzheimer’s Disease
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, as many as 5.2 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States today. When the Baby Boomer generation begins to reach the age of 65 in 2011, the growing number of Americans with Alzheimer's disease will take a major toll on patients and caregiver, and put a significant strain on health care spending. This underscores the pressing need for effective treatments for this devastating disease. (read more)
October - Respiratory Health
According to the American Lung Association, more than 35 million Americans are living with chronic lung disease such as asthma and emphysema. Other respiratory illnesses include tuberculosis, influenza, pneumonia, and sarcoidosis, among others. (read more)
September - Common Cancers
According to the
American Cancer Society, a total of 392,420 people will be diagnosed with breast (184,450), ovarian (21,650), and prostate (186,320) cancers in 2008. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, these diseases have the potential to become more prevalent. (
read more)
August - Leukemia
Leukemia is the most common type of blood cancer, and there are approximately 231,461 people in the United States living with leukemia, according to the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). The term leukemia is a general term that includes four major diseases: acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). (
read more)
July - New Medicines
This month, Innovation.org highlights the new medicines and treatments approved in 2007 that treat and prevent disease. (
read more)
June - Rare Diseases
According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Rare Diseases, there are 6,000–7,000 rare diseases affecting a total of 25 million Americans. This population is particularly in need of medicines and other treatments because, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimates, 85-90% of rare diseases are serious or life-threatening. These vital new treatments are often categorized as “orphan” drugs, or products that are used to treat patients with “orphan” or rare diseases (a disease that affects fewer than 200,000 Americans). With the passing of the Orphan Drug Act in 1983, researchers have made great strides in developing effective treatments for people living with rare diseases. (read more)
May - Arthritis
May is National Arthritis Month. According to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis, while often referred to as if it were a single disease, is actually an umbrella term used for a group of more than 100 medical conditions that collectively affect nearly 46 million adults and 300,000 children in America alone. Specific types of arthritis include childhood arthritis, gout, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus). (read more)
April - Vaccines
April 19th – 26th is National Infant Immunization Week. Most vaccines work by tricking the immune system into thinking that a real infection is taking place, even though it is not. Then when the person is exposed to that illness again, the immune system is already activated and ready to fend it off. Learn more about vaccines, advances in vaccine research, and read recent studies. (read more)
March - Diabetes
March 25th is American Diabetes Alert Day. According to the American Diabetes Association, there are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes, a disease in which the person’s body does not produce or correctly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps change glucose (sugar) and other foods into energy. Learn more about diabetes, new medicines in development to treat it, and review charts and graphs related to diabetes research trends. (read more)
February - Heart Disease
February is American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death of Americans. Learn more below about cardiovascular disease, the new medicines that are in development to treat it, and the researchers who are dedicated to improving outcomes for patients. (read more)
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