 |
Press Release
|
New national campaign gives Americans "Breathing Room" to learn about COPD — Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema — program designed to help increase awareness of COPD, an under-recognized disease in the United States1
New York, New York, June 19, 2006 – A new educational and interactive campaign called The Breathing Room was launched today to help educate people about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, and encourage those experiencing its symptoms to talk to their doctors about getting screened. The campaign will address the high prevalence of COPD, a national epidemic1 that’s under-recognized, under-diagnosed and under-treated.2 In addition, COPD is often confused with asthma.3 The Breathing Room, which kicked off its national tour of major U.S. cities today, will be led by the COPD Foundation; EFFORTS, the largest COPD patient support group; and NLHEP, the National Lung Health Education Program. The program is sponsored by Pfizer Inc and Boehringer Ingelheim, Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
“COPD is a major public health concern that needs greater attention,” said John W. Walsh, president of The COPD Foundation. “Too many Americans are living with COPD and they are either unaware that they have the illness or are reluctant to acknowledge the toll it takes on their lives because of the stigma associated with a smoking-related disease. Awareness of COPD is needed so those touched by the disease can take action, helping them or their loved ones manage the condition and improve their quality of life.”
COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is a leading cause of disability4 and death in the United States.5 While approximately 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD,6 as many as 24 million American have evidence of impaired lung function.5 Findings from a recent patient survey showed that COPD took a severe toll on patients’ daily lives.7 In addition, other research shows COPD patients are often misdiagnosed with asthma.8
About The Breathing Room
The Breathing Room was designed to use creative sights and sounds to explain the symptoms of COPD. It is a multi-media mobile exhibit that features in-depth disease management information and compelling educational components, such as a lung model. With three-dimensional interactive video technology, the lung model uses dramatic visuals and sounds to illustrate the differences in breathing and lung function between healthy and COPD-compromised lungs. When the model’s lungs are healthy, visitors will feel a cool breeze and hear the sound of normal, paced breathing. As the visuals move to diseased lungs, the breeze will stop, and visitors will hear a persistent cough and the halting, labored sounds of the breathlessness associated with COPD.
Staffed by physicians, respiratory therapists, and other healthcare professionals from the COPD Foundation, EFFORTS and the NLHEP, The Breathing Room will allow the public and patients to learn more about lung health and COPD. Educational materials on COPD and a prescription treatment option will be available in the exhibit space.
During the next several months, The Breathing Room will appear in shopping malls in cities where there are high numbers of COPD patients. These include San Diego, Minneapolis, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Orlando, San Antonio, Denver and Phoenix. Additional information about the program and COPD is available at www.copdfoundation.org, www.emphysema.net or www.nlhep.org. People who have questions about COPD or are experiencing symptoms should also talk to their doctor.
About COPD
COPD is characterized by a loss of lung function over time.5 COPD is the second-leading cause of disability4 and the fourth-leading cause of death in the U.S.5 It is projected to become the third-leading fatal illness by 2020.9 While it is primarily caused by cigarette smoking, other causes of COPD include exposure to occupational dusts and chemicals.5 There is also a link between COPD and a rare genetic disorder involving a deficiency in the enzyme alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) that normally prevents loss of elasticity in the lungs’ fibers.
Unlike asthma, COPD is associated with a cascade of decline that leads to a diminished quality of life. The most common COPD symptoms include shortness of breath, chronic cough with or without phlegm (“smoker’s cough”) and wheezing.3 The early signs of COPD – shortness of breath on exertion and coughing5 – are often attributed to getting older. COPD is often associated with exacerbations of these symptoms,3 which can account for a high proportion of health-care costs associated with the disease – nearly $40 billion in the U.S.10 In the last 20 years, COPD was also responsible for nearly 50 million hospital visits nationwide.11
COPD is, however, a manageable disease.3 According to diagnosis and treatment guidelines set by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), intervention can help treat some of the symptoms of COPD.3
About the COPD Foundation
The COPD Foundation was founded to provide a variety of services to persons who are affected by COPD, whether they are sufferers, caregivers, health professionals, or family and friends. The COPD Foundation's activities serve educational, charitable and scientific purposes to help serve this large patient community. The mission of the COPD Foundation is to develop and support programs, which improve the quality of life for persons whose lives are impacted by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through research, education, public awareness, early diagnosis and enhanced therapy. For more information, go to www.copdfoundation.org.
About EFFORTS
Emphysema Foundation for Our Rights to Survive (EFFORTS) is a patient-oriented organization committed to supporting people living with chronic bronchitis and emphysema, also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Formed in May of 1998, this nonprofit group has dedicated itself to supporting and educating COPD patients by providing health, treatment and lifestyle information to the benefit of the patient community. For further information on EFFORTS, please see http://www.emphysema.net.
About NLHEP
The National Lung Health Education Program (NLHEP) is a healthcare initiative designed to identify and to treat patients in the early stages of emphysema and related chronic bronchitis. The NLHEP is directed to both primary care physicians and to patients. Many societies and governmental agencies within the United States are supporters who help the NLHEP. Financial support for the NLHEP comes from unrestricted grants from the pharmaceutical and medical equipment industries. Additional information on NLHEP is available at www.nlhep.org.
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation (Ridgefield, CT) and a member of the Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies.
The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world’s 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 143 affiliates in 47 countries and approximately 37,500 employees. Since it was founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine.
In 2005, Boehringer Ingelheim posted net sales of US $11.8 billion (9.5 billion euro) while spending approximately one-fifth of net sales in its largest business segment, Prescription Medicines, on research and development.
For more information, please visit http://us.boehringer-ingelheim.com.
Pfizer Inc
Pfizer Inc discovers, develops, manufactures and markets leading prescription medicines for humans and animals, and many of the world’s best-known consumer products.
For further information on Pfizer, please see www.pfizer.com.
Consumers who need help paying for medicine, or who know someone who needs
help, can call 
1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669) or go to www.pparx.org.
Note to Editors: For specific information about location and hours of The
Breathing Room in each city, please call contact Amanda Aldridge at
(212)
445-8263 or amanda.aldridge@webershandwick.com.
Contacts
Lara Crissey
Public Relations
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
900 Ridgebury Road Ridgefield, CT 06877
Phone:
(203) 798 -4740
lcrissey@rdg.boehringer-ingelheim.com
Paul Ewing
Pfizer Inc
212-733-0179
(office)
917-715-1547
(mobile)
References
- Sharpio, Steven. COPD Unwound, The New England Journal of Medicine. Vol. 352:2016-2019, May, 2005.
- Pauwels R, Rabe K, Burden and clinical features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), The Lancet, August 2004.
- Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Executive Summary. Bethesda, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, April 2001; Updated September 2005. Available at http://www.goldcopd.com.
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Improving Health Care for Americans with Disabilities. Rockville MD: US Department of Health and Human Services; March 2002. AHRQ. No. 02-M016.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Data Fact Sheet: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Available at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/lung/other/copd_fact.pdf. Accessed June 25, 2004.
- Centers for Disease Control. Summary health statistics for U.S. adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2003. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(225). 2005. Table 3. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_225.pdf.
- COPD Foundation. COPD and co-morbidities: the COPD Foundation survey. Conducted from January 2006-April 2006. Presented at ATS 2006.
- Tinkelman DG, Price D, Nordyke RJ, Halbert RJ. Misdiagnosis of COPD and asthma in primary care patients 40 years of age and over. Journal of Asthma. 43:1-6. 2006.
- Murray, Alan. Alternative projections of mortality and disability by cause 1990-2020: Global Burden of Disease Study, The Lancet; Vol. 349, May, 1997.
- American Lung Association. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Fact Sheet (Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema). Available at: http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35020.
- Holguin F, Folch E, Redd SC, Mannino DM. Comorbidity and mortality in COPD-related Hospitalizations in the United States, 1979-2001*. Chest, October 2005. 2005-2011.