Sweat glands were easier to study in CF patients as most of the other organs of the body are heavily damaged by the disease making analysis difficult.
He discovered that in CF patients, the cellular mechanisms responsible for reabsorbing salt during sweating were dysfunctional, leading to the characteristic symptoms of the disease, including thick mucus buildup that can cause lung failure.
[2] In the early 1980s, Stanford University psychologist Jeffrey Wine, an expert researcher of invertebrate nervous systems, joined Quinton's lab after his daughter was diagnosed with CF.
[4] In 2015, Quinton and a group of prominent cystic fibrosis doctors, after three years of private dialogue, publicly criticized Vertex Pharmaceuticals for overcharging for its breakthrough CF drugs.
"[5] Vertex defended its pricing by citing the substantial investments made in drug development and the necessity of generating revenue to fund further research.
The group made efforts to seek a transparent dialogue regarding drug costs, including proposals for public discussions, but their concerns were largely ignored.