American Lung Association invests $22M in lung disease research
As federal funding lags, organization supports centers focused on COPD, asthma
The American Lung Association Research Institute is investing $22 million to advance research and support care for lung disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
“Research is the foundation for every breakthrough that improves lung health and saves lives,” said Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, in an association press release.
The investment will help support 130 researchers, as well as centers dedicated to conducting research on COPD and asthma.
“Even in the face of ongoing public health challenges and funding shifts at the federal level, the American Lung Association remains deeply committed to investing in innovative science and the researchers who drive it,” Wimmer said. “Through our Research Institute, we continue to fill a critical gap in public research funding and bring hope to millions of people living with or at risk for lung disease and lung cancer.”
Study explores effect of Inflation Reduction Act on access to inhalers
One of the research projects recently funded by the association is titled “Will Cutting Medicare Drug Costs Help Black and Hispanic Adults to Obtain and Use Inhalers?” and will be led by Stephen Mein, MD, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
The study will explore how the Inflation Reduction Act has affected access to inhalers for older adults with COPD and asthma, including those from Black and Hispanic communities.
The Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022, aimed to reduce the price of prescription medications, particularly those covered by Medicare.
Several research projects focus on COPD
Another recently funded study, led by Aparna Soni, PhD, at Indiana University, will evaluate how state tobacco control policies influence COPD prevalence, hospital use, and deaths in the U.S. The project is titled “Evaluating the Impacts of State Tobacco Control Policies on COPD.”
Yukiko Kunitomo, MD, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, also received a grant for her project, titled “Could Treating Iron Deficiency Help Patients with COPD?”
People with COPD often have low levels of iron, a condition that can have negative effects on the body and for which there are affordable treatments. Kunitomo and colleagues will evaluate whether having both COPD and iron deficiency is associated with worse disease.
“Adapting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Phone App to Help People with COPD,” a project led by Deepshikha Ashana, MD, at Duke University, also received a grant.
The study aims to adapt an existing phone app to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to COPD patients in their homes. CBT is a form of talk therapy that focuses on identifying and addressing unhelpful thought patterns to help alleviate issues like anxiety and depression.
Other recently funded projects include efforts to improve treatment for certain forms of lung cancer, as well as a study to track how exposure to indoor air pollution affects lung health in children.
In addition to grants for specific projects, the American Lung Association Research Institute also supports the Airways Clinical Research Centers Network, the largest network of clinical research centers dedicated to COPD and asthma in the U.S.
The American Lung Association is currently accepting applications for a range of grants and research funding opportunities. Additional information is available on the association’s website.
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