Updates from the ARNS Interstitial Lung Disease Lead, Sam Clark

25 September 2026

It's been a busy few months; I've been working on my PhD amendments. My PhD involved interviewing IPF individuals and their partners about their lived experiences, focusing on shared decision-making and their experiences during COVID-19. Hopefully it will be completed soon, and then the next steps will be promoting and publishing my work.

I will attend the ILD interdisciplinary network conference next month on behalf of ARNS, where we will have a stand promoting the organisation. Below, you'll find helpful information and updates regarding ILD. I also included some details on common ILD conditions for Pulmonary Fibrosis Month.

Pulmonary Fibrosis Month

September marks Pulmonary Fibrosis Month, and various charities have been promoting this through social media and their websites.

https://takeactionforpf.co.uk/

https://pulmonaryfibrosistrust.org/

Nerandomilast NICE consultation

The new antifibrotic drug nerandomilast (the first new drug in over a decade) is currently under consultation with NICE; draft guidance will not endorse its use for treating idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) in adults.

https://www.nice.org.uk/consultations/3453/1/recommendations

This decision has been deeply disappointing for the IPF and PPF community, with the charities disagreeing with the decision-making:

https://pulmonaryfibrosistrust.org/get-involved-posts/statement-from-the-pulmonary-fibrosis-trust-on-nice-draft-guidance-for-nerandomilast/

https://actionpf.org/news/article/nice-draft-decision

ARNS has been asked to participate in the consultation process, and we also disagree with NICE's decision not to endorse the medication for IPF or PPF in adults; we have informed them of the reasons for our disagreement. A further consultation meeting is scheduled for November, and we will inform our members of the outcome.

British Thoracic Society Clinical Statement on Silicosis

ARNS have also been asked to contribute towards a new clinical statement on silicosis through the BTS, which should be published later this year.

https://www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/clinical-resources/clinical-statements/silicosis/

ILD Conference

The ILD interdisciplinary network conference is occurring in Birmingham - 4th - 5th October 2026. Click here for more information.

Resources and Articles of interest

Remember, ILD is an umbrella term that covers more than 200 different ILD conditions. Below, you'll find videos and details about some of the more common ILD conditions. Each condition includes a short YouTube video for healthcare workers, an article, and patient information. You might need to log into a university or NHS database to access the articles.

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) - Classification, pathophysiology, signs and symptoms (YouTube video)

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) (article)

About Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) | Asthma + Lung UK (patient information)

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, investigation and treatment (YouTube video)

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a more common condition than you may think (article)

What is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis? (patient information)

Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis - causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathology (YouTube video)

Sarcoidosis: Key disease aspects and update on management (article)

What is sarcoidosis? (patient information)