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Let's Talk: Barb Ballard

When Barb Ballard gave birth to her son Ray in 1994, doctors provided him with routine newborn screening, which came back normal, but the good news was short-lived. Ten months later, Ray lay in the pediatric intensive care unit on a ventilator struggling with pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), a serious fungal infection that causes fluid build-up in the lungs. Doctors diagnosed Ray with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), a life-threatening primary immunodeficiency (PI) that results in little to no immune function. This experience led Barb to become an advocate for SCID newborn screening and families affected by SCID. Today, she is the director of SCID Angels for Life, a nonprofit dedicated to the empowerment of families affected by SCID… full article (pdf)

Product Guide

When Seasonal Allergies Strike

Achoo! Runny noses. Itchy, red-rimmed eyes. Breathing issues. Seasonal allergies are no joke. Millions of individuals, at least one in six Americans, suffer from this seriously annoying addiction, according to the National Institute of Environmental Sciences. The season when allergies are most likely to strike is when flowers and plants burst into bloom in the spring. And when the wind kicks up? Expect to hear lots of sniffing and sneezing… full article (pdf)

Ask the Experts

Reader: Is There a Brand of SCIG That Does Not Contain Polyscorbate 80?

Abbie: I spoke with Leslie Vaughan, RPh, CSP, IgCP, chief operations officer at Nufactor, a specialty infusion company, who says… full article (pdf)