Protect COPD Patients

Lend your voice to support increasing awareness of the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to improve care for those who suffer from it.

30 million Americans are afflicted by COPD, affecting one in eight Americans aged 45 and older. COPD is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, claiming more than 130,000 American lives each year. This disease disproportionately affects veterans, first responders, women and those who live in rural areas.

COPD is a serious medical condition, but it is also highly treatable; what’s missing is adequate awareness and education, and an effort to increase access to treatment. In order to best fight COPD, it is necessary for lawmakers to work to reduce barriers to access. With your help, we can make that happen.

Ask your members of Congress to evaluate and advance policies aligned with the COPD National Action Plan, increase funding for COPD research and education, and establish metrics to measure the impact of national and state COPD initiatives.

Contact your member of Congress today.

Dear [Lawmaker],

COPD is one of the most common diseases in the United States, affecting 30 million Americans in total and one in eight Americans over the age of 45. It is also the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of 130,000 Americans each year.

COPD disproportionately affects women, first responders, veterans, and people who live in rural areas. Despite how severe the effect of COPD is on Americans, there is a lack of disease awareness. One-half of COPD patients are undiagnosed and receive no treatment because vulnerable populations are unaware that they are at a higher risk. While COPD is dangerous, it is also treatable.

I encourage you to thank the Appropriations Committee for including report language in the 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill to increase federal support for COPD research, treatment, and awareness. Furthermore, I urge you to support and promote NIH’s COPD National Action Plan and consider all that it could do for those who live with COPD. By taking these initial steps, you will help to prioritize increasing awareness of COPD and provide crucial resources to treat this progressive lung disease.

Engaging in policies aligned with the NIH’s COPD National Action Plan and increasing funding for COPD support will help ensure a better future for millions of Americans.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
______

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