TOP NEWS
FDA Proposes Removing Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars from the Marketplace: On April 30, the Biden administration announced it would propose two rules to remove menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars from the marketplace. The American Lung Association applauds the announcement and urges the Food and Drug Administration to act without delay. Ending the sale of menthol cigarettes and most flavored cigars will save millions of lives, reduce health disparities and prevent kids from beginning tobacco addiction The action around menthol cigarettes is in response to court-ordered response to a petition filed in April 2013 by the American Lung Association and a large and diverse coalition. You can help by telling President Biden to act quickly to remove menthol cigarettes.
Celebrating Turquoise Takeover! Our annual LUNG FORCE Turquoise Takeover celebration (May 9-15) united America to raise critical awareness of lung cancer, the nation’s #1 cancer killer. Iconic landmarks throughout the country turned turquoise, including the Hancock Center and Merchandise Mart (Chicago), Boathouse Row (Philadelphia) and Niagara Falls (New York). Visit LUNGFORCE.org to learn how you can get involved throughout the year!
COVID-19 Action Initiative Reaches One-Year Anniversary: In April of 2020, in response to the urgent threat caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lung Association launched the COVID-19 Action Initiative, a three-year initiative to end COVID-19 and prevent future respiratory viruses with pandemic potential. Looking back at our ambitious initiative we see investments in research, education, advocacy and accelerated progress in the effort to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 Resources:
- Our “Better for It” COVID-19 vaccine toolkits have been updated with new resources to help diverse communities of color begin the conversation on how to make a well-informed decision about COVID-19 vaccination.
- COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs answer your pressing questions such as why the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was paused and how the vaccine monitoring system is effectively working
- COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker has information to help you stay informed about the safety and availability of a COVID-19 vaccine.
- Our latest Blogs explore a wide range of COVID topics.
Find the latest at Lung.org/covid19 and be sure to follow our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram social channels and share these timely resources to your network.
May is National Asthma Awareness Month: All month, we’ve been rolling out new or highlighting established tools at Lung.org/asthma to help you take action to improve asthma control for yourself or your loved ones.
- Learn More about Asthma through our Asthma Basics online course and the NEW 3-part asthma webcast series for patients and caregivers.
- Join the NEW Better Breathers Network: This nationwide, online patient support program provides management tools and virtual support groups for all lung disease (including asthma). Anyone can join and membership is free. This is a great opportunity filled with education, support and connections with like-minded patients and caregivers.
- Participate in the Asthma Healthcare Assessment during COVID-19 (3 questions): Your voice is important and we want to hear from you about your experiences with asthma healthcare during the times of the pandemic.
Participate in the My Asthma Control Assessment: Answer these short 7 questions to determine your asthma control assessment and use the helpful summary guide as a conversation starter with your healthcare provider about treatment options and how to improve your control.
SUPPORT THE LUNG ASSOCIATION
Your support really counts! We invite you to get outside and join one of our fundraising events! Every year your participation at one of our Climbs, Walks, Treks or other fundraising events does so much to make our vision of a world free of lung disease a reality! With COVID-19, our lungs are at extreme risk right now. That’s why your support is more important than ever! Find an event near you and register today.
American Lung Association E-Store: As a part of our celebration of the one-year anniversary of our brand refresh, we are excited to launch our new American Lung Association E-store, where you can purchase American Lung Association and LUNG FORCE branded clothing and other items. Wear your Lung Association spirit with pride and support our mission through the purchase of this merchandise. New items will be added to the e-store all the time, so be sure to check back regularly.
LUNG CANCER
LUNG FORCE Expo Registration Now Open: Registration for our spring LUNG FORCE Expo, on June 24, for health professionals is now open. The virtual LUNG FORCE Expo is designed to help healthcare professionals learn about the latest trends in research, treatments and recommendations for lung cancer, COPD and other lung diseases.
Lung Cancer Screening Toolkit: In March, the US Preventive Services Task Force updated its recommendation for lung cancer screening. These changes will double the number of individuals eligible for screening compared to the previous guidelines and will result in more women and Black Americans becoming eligible for screening. This month, as part of our State Lung Cancer Screening Coverage Project in partnership with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Lung Association released a new toolkit for stakeholders to learn about the updated lung cancer screening recommendation and work to update insurance coverage policies to align with the new guidelines as soon as possible. These resources will advance our efforts to ensure everyone at high risk for lung cancer has access to screening without cost-sharing.
RESEARCH
Funding New COVID Vaccine Research: Our COVID-19 Action Initiative continues to make good on our promise to help end the pandemic. Our latest research commitment is the funding of a study to examine the efficacy of COVID vaccination for transplant recipients. The study, “Immune Response of Lung Transplant Recipients to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination,” is led by a team of researchers from Harvard and Massachusetts General. As explained by lead investigator Marcia Goldberg, M.D., “Our study will seek to determine how a transplant patient will respond to vaccination, and if a booster is needed, for example, so that these patients may also benefit from vaccination and be able to safely return to daily activities.” Read our press release to learn more about this exciting research. Also, new on our blog: a complementary article exploring how the idea for this study occurred to Dr. Goldberg during dinner with her husband, Alan Grossman. Alan, after all, had a heart transplant 15 years ago. “We realized that we didn’t really know how effective the [COVID-19] vaccine would be for him, and what that would mean for us.”
Spotlight on Published Research: A member of our Research Team, Lokesh Sharma, Ph.D., at Yale University was recently published in the Journal of Inflammation Research. The paper, titled “Association of Early Inflammation with Age and Asymptomatic Disease in COVID-19,” showed how early changes in host immune responses to COVID potentially play an important role in symptomatic disease development. Specifically, an impaired early inflammatory response was associated with older age, while robust early inflammation was associated with asymptomatic disease. Dr. Sharma is a recipient of the Lung Association’s 2019-2020 Catalyst Award for his project, “Mechanisms of Paradoxical Anti-inflammatory Effects of Type I Interferons in the Lung.” Said Dr. Sharma, “I appreciate the American Lung Association’s ongoing support of my research and hope this COVID study leads to future advances positively impacting lung health.”
ADVOCACY
Tell Congress to Invest in a Healthier Future
We need your help to call on your members of Congress to invest in a healthier future. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lung Association has advocated to Congress and the Administration for policies to protect and improve lung health in the face of unprecedented challenges. The laws and regulations enacted over the past several months have gone a long way toward addressing the impacts of the pandemic, but there is still much to do to rebuild communities. Congress is working on investment legislation now, and we need your help to ensure they promote lung health by ensuring everyone has access to quality, affordable healthcare and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. This is an opportunity to invest in a healthier future that Congress—and the nation—cannot afford to miss. Take action today and learn more on our blog.
EACH BREATH BLOG
Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month: Jewish American Heritage Month is celebrated in May and honors the many contributions Jewish Americans have made to this country. Many Jewish Americans have played a role in improving the lung health of their fellow Americans and this May we honor some of them that are in our very own (virtual) backyard.
Thank you for all you do!
Your generous support is the engine that drives our three-pronged mission of education, advocacy and research. Out of every dollar donated to the American Lung Association, 89 cents go to program services that help all of us and our loved ones breathe easier, now and in the future!
Blog last updated: April 18, 2024
