Irish cystic fibrosis sufferers receive less care and die younger

PEOPLE with cystic fibrosis (CF) in Ireland receive less care and die younger than in almost any other country in the developed world.

The average age of death for a patient with the chronic lung disease here has been 21 for the past five years compared to the late 20s for Western Europe as a whole, and 33-34 for the United States and Australia.

The Cystic Fibrosis Association of Ireland (CFAI) yesterday held an open day to urge TDs and senators to sit up and take notice of the situation which, they said, demanded urgent attention.