The health minister has written to his ministerial counterparts in England, Scotland, Canada and Australia proposing they work together to access a new cystic fibrosis wonder drug at a “cost-effective price”.

The manufacturer of a drug aimed at cystic fibrosis sufferers has said it has still not received an update from the HSE over whether or not funding for it will be recommended.

Simon Zebo, Conor Murray, Keith Earls and Paul Warwick were among thousands who threw their support behind the ‘Breathe With Me’ Strawfie Challenge during National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Week.

Cystic Fibrosis Ireland (CFI) has come under fire from another CF charity for making public pronouncements about the dire state of paediatric facilities at Cork University Hospital (CUH) while failing to mention that a major upgrade is currently under way.

A 27-year-old woman with cystic fibrosis (CF) who travelled from Waterford to Cork University Hospital (CUH) for treatment was sent home because there were no beds available — while a 20-bed respiratory ward within the hospital remains closed.

The standard one-year warranty on 10 PlayStations bought for the entertainment of children hospitalised with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is in danger of expiring before the ward for which they were purchased even opens.

A round-up of this morning’s top news.

The HSE has been instructed to redraw plans relating to specialist treatment rooms for children with cystic fibrosis (CF) at Cork University Hospital (CUH) after Health Minister Leo Varadkar intervened at the behest of a CF charity.

A cystic fibrosis (CF) charity that has single-handedly funded the overhaul of facilities for CF patients in a public hospital at a cost of almost €3m has called on the Government to waive a €400,000 tax bill. 

A row over the ring-fencing of beds for cystic fibrosis patients at a Cork hospital has been resolved, paving the way for the handover of €2.3m to fund a respiratory ward.

A row between Cork University Hospital and Cystic Fibrosis charity Build4Life over the ring-fencing of beds threatened the building of a new €2.3m ward. Build4Life founder Joe Browne is happy to draw a line under the saga as agreement is finally reached

A compromise has been reached in a row between a cystic fibrosis (CF) charity and a Cork hospital that will pave the way for the development of a new €2.3m respiratory ward.

Efforts to broker an agreement that would end a row between a Cork hospital and a cystic fibrosis (CF) charity over the ring-fencing of beds are to continue next week after talks last night ended without a breakthrough.

The mortality rate among inpatients with a chronic lung disease at a Cork hospital was at one stage more than double the rate in Britain, according to figures presented by doctors petitioning for a new respiratory ward.

The head of a cystic fibrosis charity has called for the appointment of an independent expert to help resolve a row over bed designation for CF patients at a Cork hospital.

PLANS to build a 20-bed respiratory ward at Cork University Hospital have stalled because the hospital has refused to ring-fence any of the beds for adults with cystic fibrosis (CF).

Cystic Fibrosis Ireland (CFI), the national charity, has met with the hospital management, clinicians and the HSE and has urged that a speedy resolution is found to end the dispute that is holding up the development of a new inpatient facility in Cork University Hospital.

The minister for health has been asked to intervene in an ongoing row over bed allocation for cystic fibrosis patients at Cork University Hospital.

IPads purchased by a charity over two years ago for cystic fibrosis patients at Cork University Hospital have never been used because the hospital is still assessing how to clean them.

The head of the St Vincent's Healthcare Group has said they are looking at ways of improving the admissions process for patients with Cystic Fibrosis.

Screening of embryos for genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) is being made available in fertility clinics in Cork and Dublin for the first time — with a Dublin clinic offering screening for Down’s syndrome.

A dedicated unit to treat cystic fibrosis (CF) patients has been described as a tribute to campaigners who died before it was built.

IN the first days of Seán’s life, his parents, Joe and Sandra Kavanagh, hoped he had Hirschsprung’s disease. A condition of the large intestine, it causes constipation.

THE Department of Health is considering a U-turn on a decision to refuse €300,000 to a cystic fibrosis (CF) charity which has raised €2 million to transform a closed Cork University Hospital (CUH) ward into an isolation unit for CF patients.

PRAYERS paid off for a pair of nuns on the run, part of an 11,000-strong crowd taking part in the 30th Evening Echo Cork Women’s Mini Marathon.

A LEADING cystic fibrosis campaigner whose personal circumstances led to a public outcry over continuing delays to vital treatment facilities, has lost her fight for life.

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) is next week to announce details of €10.5 million plans for providing new facilities in the mid-west for cystic fibrosis and Parkinson’s disease patients.

Hospital authorities today signed the contract for the construction of the long-awaited cystic fibrosis unit at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin.

TÁNAISTE Mary Coughlan has insisted that the Government is committed to opening the delayed cystic fibrosis unit at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin.

Dublin city centre will come to a standstill tomorrow as a record 12,750 runners pound the streets in the capital’s marathon.

THE CYSTIC FIBROSIS Association is concerned that, following the death of 18-year-old Darina Calpin, those suffering with lung disease could be at greater risk from swine flu.

CONSTRUCTION chiefs are confident many builders will be interested in the state’s “build now, get paid later” offer to develop the 120-bed unit at St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin, which will include dedicated facilities for cystic fibrosis patients.

Workers from Iralco in Westmeath are due to meet with the company's new prospective owners this weekend to discuss the prospect of some voluntary redundancies.

A WOMAN with cystic fibrosis (CF) was asked to pose for a photograph 10 years ago at a site earmarked for new treatment facilities which have yet to be developed.

WERE it not for the outstanding work of voluntary groups, many people with disabilities would be facing a lot more suffering.