ATS Co-Hosts COPD Congressional Briefing
This week, the ATS co-hosted a Congressional briefing on COPD. ATS members Jerry Krishnan, MD, PhD, and David Mannino, MD. were among the speakers, including NHLBI director Gary Gibbons, MD, and Grace Anne Dorney Koppel, president of the Dorney-Koppel Foundation. The briefing featured discussions of COPD research, treatment and evidence gaps and reiterated the need for of greater COPD funding at NIH.
“As we think about the health system level, we very much depend on the discoveries that have been made in large part because of the investments of National Institutes of Health. I think anyone and everyone would agree the NIH has been at the forefront of what is called discovery sciences in terms of identifying new therapies,” said Dr. Krishnan.
Panelist Grace Anne Dorney Koppel, who lives with COPD pointed out the financial implications of the lack of COPD research, stating “I need every legislator to realize that people in their districts are unable to breathe and cost you a lot of money - estimates [of] $40-60 billion dollars a year. If you would let us do pulmonary rehab, the cost is equivalent to one day in the hospital and we have many hospitalizations.”
After the panel discussion, attendees were given the opportunity to simulate the symptoms of COPD in an interactive activity entitled, “Walk in My Shoes Challenge.” Attendees were able to experience what it is like to complete daily activities for an individual living with COPD.
Last Reviewed: November 17, 2017
