Although cystic fibrosis (CF) is not a new disease, there is still much to learn about it. In 1938, a pathologist, Dr. Dorothy Andersen, provided the first clear description of cystic fibrosis. Prior to this time, there had been reports of people exhibiting the symptoms of someone with cystic fibrosis. In the 17th century, it was thought that children with symptoms of cystic fibrosis were bewitched and that their life expectancy was very short. Dr. Dorothy Andersen gave this disease its name because cystic fibrosis refers to the scarring found on the pancreas. People with cystic fibrosis also suffer from associated diseases such as salt wasting syndrome, obstructive azoospermia, and gastrointestinal abnormalities. Cystic fibrosis is inherited from parents, making it a genetic disease. Cystic fibrosis is caused by mutations in a certain gene that produces the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. This gene was first discovered in 1989 on chromosome pair 7. Cystic fibrosis is a recessive disease, meaning both parents must be carriers. Every time two CF carriers have a child together, there is a one in four chance that their child will inherit the CF mutation. Although cystic fibrosis causes coughing, it can only be transmitted hereditary. Young people with cystic fibrosis also face more health risk behaviors. These risk factors include smoking daily, using cannabis, and committing antisocial or violent acts. These risk factors usually occur in clusters and increase with age. Many factors contribute to this behavior, such as age, gender, educational background and parental education level, all differences except alcohol abuse remain significant. People with cystic fibrosis are more likely to be depressed and more likely to rate their health as poor. The climate may also subject a person with cystic fibrosis to increased stress if ...... middle of paper ......l drugs being developed for cystic fibrosis. There are many clinical trials in which CF patients can participate and contribute to the advancement of treatments for this disease. A clinical trial was carried out to test a new way of administering inhaled antibiotics to people with cystic fibrosis and a lung infection caused by pseudomonas aeruginosa. The antibiotic drug (Amikacin) was made by wrapping the drug in liposomes. The liposomes were thought to help the antibiotic penetrate the mucus to kill pseudomonas aeruginosa and also slowed how quickly the amikacin leaves the lungs. The results of this trial are not yet complete. For the average CF patient, their treatment, medications, and other things cost thousands of dollars each year. Recent estimates show an excess of $40,000 per year in direct medical costs and $9,000 per year in secondary costs per cystic fibrosis patient..