Interesting Facts about FOP

• The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine is the only laboratory in the U.S. dedicated to FOP research
• $1.5 million every year is spent on FOP research
• 75% of the funds come from FOP family fundraising and donations
• 25% of the funds come from institutional support
• The International FOP Association funds the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine with $500,000 annually
• FOP literally means "soft connective tissue that progressively turns to bone"
• FOP was originally known as "Myositis ossificans progressiva", which means "muscle turns progressively to bone
• FOP doesn't affect brain activity or IQ
• FOP does not affect smooth muscle tissues
• Intestines
• Eye muscles
• Respiratory tract
• Stomach
• Bladder
• Cardiac muscles
• There was a petition for government funding of FOP at Oxford University in 2013
• Of the 100,000 signatures needed to pass the petition, only 1,086 signatures were sent