CF GLOBAL CARE: Collaboration Between Two CF Centers; University of Michigan, USA and Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nasr, S.Z.¹

Gökdemir, Y.²

Erdem, E.²

Karakoc, F.²

Ergenekon, P.²

Tapley, C.¹

Dagher, S.¹

Bouma, S.¹

Keniş Coşkun, Ö.²

Kocamaz; D.2

Karadag, B.²

Corresponding Author: Samya Z. Nasr

Professor of Pediatrics

CF Center Director

University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine

1500 E. Medical Center DR.

Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Email: snasr@umich.edu

Phone: 734-764-4123

Runny Title: Collaboration Between 2 CF Centers in the USA and Turkey to Improve Care

Abstract

Solving the world’s health challenges requires multidisciplinary collaborations

that bring together the talents, experiences, resources, and ideas from multiple sectors in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) and high -income countries (HIC). Cystic Fibrosis (CF) was thought to be a disease of Caucasian populations from European decent. However, it has been shown to affect people from all ethnic backgrounds. CF care varies significantly for people with CF (pw CF) from HIC with median survival approaching 50 years of age, to LMIC with pw CF dying in infancy or early childhood. To address the discrepancy in quality of care and outcomes, we report on a collaboration between our team at the University of Michigan cystic fibrosis center (UoM CFC), through support from the Middle East CF Association (MECFA) and the CF Foundation (CFF), and a CF center in Turkey (Marmara University CF Center, Istanbul) to address deficiencies and improve quality of care in that center. The collaboration has been successful in improving Ma CFC data and patient care. This partnership can be viewed as a model of collaboration to be duplicated in other Middle East Countries and LMIC to deliver optimal CF care.