Blog

What Is the Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center Network?

This blog post was authored by Lucinda Shore and reviewed by the Bronchiectasis and NTM Content Review and Evaluation Committee.As bronchiectasis and nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease become more common in the U.S., getting a quick, accurate diagnosis and expert care is very important. To help meet this need, the Bronchiectasis and NTM Association created the Bronchiectasis and NTM Care Center Network (CCN).The CCN connects people to medical centers throughout the U.S. that provide expert care and treatment, high-quality education, advice, and support for those living with bronchiectasis and NTM lung disease. The CCN gives sites one of two designations:Care Center: These centers offer a clinical research program, treat hundreds of people with bronchiectasis and NTM, and provide direct access to specialists (like dietitians or psychologists) for immediate care.Clinical Associate Center (CAC): CACs provide high-quality, expert care, but may see fewer people with both conditions, may be less involved in research, and may not have access to specialists within the center.

Press Release

Bronchiectasis and NTM Association announces Externally-Led Patient-Focused Drug Development meeting for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis

The Bronchiectasis and NTM Association today announced plans for an Externally-Led Patient-Focused Drug Development (EL-PFDD) meeting for non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB). This meeting is modeled after the Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) PFDD public meetings. Drug developers, FDA, and other stakeholders will be in attendance.NCFB is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflammation and chronic infection in which the airways become abnormally widened, thickened, and/or scarred. Once considered rare, NCFB is now recognized more widely as awareness, research, and advances in imaging have improved understanding of the disease. Although the first FDA-approved treatment for NCFB became available in 2025, significant challenges remain. Many people still face delays in diagnosis, limited access to specialized care, and difficulties managing the disease’s daily impact.The NCFB EL-PFDD meeting will:Enhance understanding of how living with NCFB impacts daily life experiences;Capture diverse perspectives of the NCFB community to help foster timely and effective therapy development; andInform regulatory decision-making with insights on current care and treatment benefit needs.

Discussion

Double whammy- M.Ab +MAC

Hello, I'm new here. I just retired after 23 years in the military and finally got to see civilian doctors who care. The military didn't listen to me and just told me I had asthma/COPD, even though I've never smoked. They said my mucus was just a "new normal.” They never told me I had bronchiectasis, but in May 2026, a civilian pulmonologist said it was there and had been there for years. Soon after, he did a bronchoscopy. Since then, I’ve had two hospital stays for bouts of Achromobacter, and now I’ve had three positive cultures for M. abscessus and three positive cultures for MAC. They’re going to treat both.A civilian immunologist diagnosed me with SAD two years ago, so there’s just a lot going on. My ID doctor said it was extremely rare to have M. abscessus and MAC at the same time. His plan is to use four antibiotics: inhaled amikacin and oral azithromycin, clofazimine, and ethambutol.Is there anyone else out there who has or has had both? I’d really appreciate any insight into what to expect when I start treatment.v/rKelly