Oh, what a time to be alive! Just when you thought the global party thrown by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) couldn’t get any more exciting, it gifts us with pulmonary fibrosis (PF) – a lung party favor that keeps on giving, long after the initial festivities have ended. And not just any gift, but one that can show up unexpectedly fast, like that one guest who arrives just when you thought it was safe to relax in your PJs.

Now, if you’re thinking, “No problem, I’ll just get a lung transplant,” think again. It turns out, lung transplants are like those ultra-exclusive clubs – not enough spots, too expensive, and the bouncer (your immune system) might not even let you in. So, what’s the plan B? Well, the medical world is still debating the perfect timing to pop the pharmacotherapy champagne when it comes to COVID-19-induced PF. It’s like trying to decide the best time to start eating healthy – yesterday, today, or maybe tomorrow?

But wait, there’s more! It seems our approach to treating this unwelcome gift is as personalized as a Starbucks order, with disparities in treatment based on race and gender, and even your genetic makeup might make you more or less likely to benefit from certain meds. It’s like finding out your latte could be more effective if only you had the right genetic sequence. Who knew?

So, the grand plan is to dive deeper into the pharmacotherapy pool, figuring out when to dive in and how much splash to make with medication doses, all while wearing our personalized treatment goggles. This, dear friends, is our best shot at making sure this lung-crashing party doesn’t overstay its welcome, easing the burden on our healthcare bouncers and hopefully improving the quality of life for those stuck with the party favors. Cheers to that!