2010-Year of the Lung

Dean Schraufnagel MD
Vice-President, The Union
President, American Thoracic Society

No conflicts
FIRS
What is needed
most?

What can we do?

Awareness
COPD
More ♀
than ♂
die from
COPD
Asthma
More people die of lung cancer than breast, colon,
pancreas and prostate combined.

In 2009, 160,000 died of lung cancer.

H1N1
Cigarettes
for
pennies
Candied tobacco
 The
tobacco
tent
Lung
rinse
Basic physics
– states of matter
Better lung
health
starts
with
awareness
-FIRS
 Year of the Lung Goals
• Encourage greater personal lung health,
public health, and lung research
• Help countries, states and organizations
promote lung health issues
• Generate legislative action
• Develop long range lung health programs
 Media
Drives
awareness
We’re in
this together.
 What has been done
• “Year of the lung" 2010
– 1,330,000 pages Google 10/24/2010
– Virtually every country
• Countless activities
– World Days
• World Spirometry Day >73,000
– Conferences, meeting with legislators
– From individual self-help to national agendas
ATS Contribution to
Year of the Lung

Book on respiratory disease

Background

• ERS “White book” reports lung diseases by region

FIRS goal for every world region

• ATS strong Washington staff

Tool to help lobby for lung health

• ATS PAR → “cure”

A report on
respiratory health
Chapter 1. The challenges
Chapter 25. Going for the cure
23 Chapters

23 respiratory diseases

Multi-authored, experts
Whom does it affect?
Epidemiology, prevalence, economic burden,
vulnerable populations

What is it like to have this disease?

Case Study and Comment

What are we learning about the disease?

Pathophysiology, causes: genetic,
environment, microbes

How is it prevented, treated, and managed?

Prevention, treatment, staying healthy, prognosis

Are we making a difference ?

Research past, present, and future
What we need to cure or eliminate the disease
Target audience

• Research, patient and public health advocates

• Legislators and opinion leaders
• Public health officials
• News writers
• Philanthropic individuals and orgs
• Informed patients, their families and friends
Respiratory Distress in the
Newborn

1960’s – 25,000 death per year

2005 – 860 deaths
Tuberculosis

Rates:
World: stable
USA: ⇊

Exciting research →
near breakthroughs
drugs, tests, vaccines
Genetic aspects of many
diseases

Great strides
Fungal disease
Advances in diagnosis
and treatment
Bronchiectasis

- A long way to go
Already paid dividends?
Rep. Patrick Kennedy staff meeting

• $35 B for NIH

• $8.8 B for CDC
• $1 B for VA research
zzz…
Main message

Respiratory research-sound
investment

Exciting advancements
occurring in most fields
Free online
Print version
$22.50
$14.95 (ATS members)
20% volume discount
+ S&H
All proceeds → research
Challenge:

Turn
awareness into
action!
Thank you.