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DOT Holds Public Forum on New Rule Requiring Airlines
to Accept Carry-On Portable Oxygen Concentrators Aboard Flights

WASHINGTON, DC – The US Department of Transportation held a public forum Tuesday, June 3, on its new rule requiring airlines to accept portable oxygen concentrators carried aboard by passengers. 

The rule takes effect May 13, 2009. Currently, airlines themselves make the choice whether or not they will allow portable oxygen concentrators to be carried aboard the plane. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports that 50 airlines are now allowing portable oxygen concentrators.

Among the 600 attending the forum were Peter Anders-Lauten representing the Alpha-1 Foundation; Elsa Anders, the Alpha-1 Association; Miriam O’Day, the COPD Foundation; Vlady Rozenbaum, COPD Alert; and Paul Billings, the American Lung Association.

While airlines will be required to accept approved carry-on oxygen concentrators, a decision has been delayed on whether or not to require the airlines to supply medical oxygen to passengers. Blaine Workie, chief of the DOT’s Civil Rights Compliance Branch, said the issue of mandatory airline-supplied oxygen has been postponed pending solid information on the cost.

When the DOT originally issued its ruling May 7, John W. Walsh, President and CEO of the Alpha-1 Foundation and President of the COPD Foundation, hailed the news. “This is great news for the Alpha-1 and COPD communities,” Walsh said. “Our community has put significant effort into this issue, and we’re pleased that the Airline Oxygen Council of America has helped facilitate this victory.”

The Airline Oxygen Council of America (AOCA) has been spearheading the effort to ease access to medical oxygen for airline passengers. The AOCA website is funded by the Alpha-1 Foundation through a grant from the Ruderman Family Foundation.

“This is a great step forward,” said Morton Ruderman of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “This will make air travel more accessible and convenient for those of us who need supplemental oxygen. We have much more to do – patients using less expensive alternatives to the portable concentrators, such as liquid oxygen, deserve easier access to air travel as well – but we can all be pleased with this ruling.”

Five portable oxygen concentrators have so far been approved for passengers to carry aboard aircraft: AirSep FreeStyle, AirSep LifeStyle, Inogen One, Respironics EverGo and Sequal Eclipse.  

Conditions that passengers must follow to carry oxygen on board will include advance check-in (usually one hour before the general public check-in requirements); fully charged batteries for 150% of the scheduled flight time; a physician’s statement of medical need; and properly packaged extra batteries.

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About the Alpha-1 Foundation:
The mission of the Alpha-1 Foundation is to provide the leadership and resources that will result in increased research, improved health, worldwide detection, and a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. For more information, visit www.alphaone.org.

About the COPD Foundation:

The COPD Foundation is dedicated to developing and supporting programs which improve the quality of life through research, education, early diagnosis, and enhanced therapy for persons whose lives are impacted by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. For more information, visit www.copdfoundation.org/

Foundation President Honored With ATS Public Service Award;
Dr. Trapnell Receives Martin Distinguished Achievement Award

TORONTO, Canada – The American Thoracic Society (ATS) named John W. Walsh recipient of its 2008 Public Service Award at a ceremony Sunday, May 18, at the ATS international conference. Walsh is President, CEO and co-founder of the Alpha-1 Foundation and President of the COPD Foundation.

Former ATS President William J. Martin II, MD, now on the Board of the Alpha-1 Foundation, presented the award.

The Public Service Award has been bestowed since 1991 “only upon those who have made outstanding contributions in the public health arena related to respiratory disease and medicine,” said ATS President David H. Ingbar, MD, in announcing the honor. “Moreover, recipients must have made significant life-long contributions to the field.”

Ingbar’s announcement noted, “You have developed a system for comprehensive care for individuals with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and have served as a very strong leader and advocate for them through the Alpha-1 Foundation. In addition, you have contributed to public health through your contributions in the FDA’s orphan drug development plan and your testimony to Congress, NIH and other groups as a patient advocate.”

Previous recipients of the award include Claude Lenfant, MD, former Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute, National Institutes of Health; Sonia Buist, MD, PhD, former ATS President; and Sue Byrnes, Founder and Director of the LAM Foundation.

Also at the ATS conference, Bruce C. Trapnell, MD, was presented with the William J. Martin II Distinguished Achievement Award. The award is named after Dr. Martin, its first recipient, for “innovative spirit, outstanding leadership skills, impressive history in public service, and a passion for patients.” Trapnell is the former Scientific Director of the
Alpha-1 Foundation. He is Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati College of
Medicine.

Walsh is also a member and former Chair of the ATS Public Advisory Roundtable, which involves patient groups representing respiratory diseases, sleep-related conditions and related critical illnesses in support, shaping policy and stimulating research at the ATS.

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About the Alpha-1 Foundation:
The mission of the Alpha-1 Foundation is to provide the leadership and resources that will result in increased research, improved health, worldwide detection, and a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. For more information, please visit: www.alphaone.org.

About the COPD Foundation:
The COPD Foundation is dedicated to developing and supporting programs which improve the quality of life through research, education, early diagnosis, and enhanced therapy for persons whose lives are impacted by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
For more information, please visit www.copdfoundation.org/
 

Alpha-1, COPD Foundations Sponsor Workshop
on Standardizing CT Scans for COPD Research

BETHESDA, MD – The Alpha-1 Foundation and COPD Foundation sponsored a workshop of world experts on CT Scan technology for COPD research in April. The workshop aimed at reviewing the state of the art in CT scan technology and attempting to arrive at a set of recommendations for standardizing CT scanning in future COPD research.

The two-day workshop, formally entitled “Quantitative Chest Tomography in COPD Research” involved both presentations and discussions by experts attending from as far away as Japan.

“Radiologists today routinely do a qualitative assessment of a chest CT scan, which is a useful clinical tool in the
diagnosis and management of COPD, “ said Alpha-1 Foundation Scientific Director Adam Wanner, MD. “But this is inadequate as a research tool. It doesn’t offer a precise, generally understood quantitative measurement.”

Wanner said that quantitative CT scans can measure precisely and provide a numerical value for the type and severity of
COPD. “The problem,” he said, “is that there is no generally accepted standard for measurement. Several investigator
groups have developed quantitative CT scanning methods for COPD research, but the methods differ and it becomes difficult or impossible to make comparisons between research studies.”

Wanner said a standardized method of CT scan measurement is vital not just to researchers, but to regulatory agencies and the pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

According to John W. Walsh, President, CEO and Co-founder of the Alpha-1 Foundation and President of the COPD Foundation, “CT imaging will be more accurate, will decrease the length of clinical trials, and accelerate the development of new therapies. We need to standardize this method of testing.”

Wanner said there are still some issues that could not be resolved at this particular workshop. “But we hope that the
dialogue we started, and the publications coming out of this workshop, will serve as the basis for a more definitive
consensus meeting later on.”

Papers presented at the workshop will be published later this year in Proceedings of the American Thoracic Society. The
overall chair of the workshop was Harvey Coxson, MD, of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC. Co-chairs were Stephen Rennard, MD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha; John Newell, MD, National Jewish Medical & Research Center, Denver, CO, and Jan Stolk, MD, of Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands. Among the workshop presenters were Drs. Coxson, Rennard and Newell; Martine Remy-Jardin, MD, of Albert-Calmette Hospital in Lille, France; and Masaharu Nishimura, MD, of Hokkaido University School of Medicine in Japan. The Alpha-1 Foundation and COPD Foundation were co-sponsors. The following organizations provided grants to support this workshop, the 10th installment of the Gordon L. Snider Critical Issues Workshop Series: AlphaNet, Arriva Pharmaceuticals, Baxter Healthcare, CSL Behring, Kamada Ltd., Roche Pharmaceuticals, Spiration Inc. and Talecris Biotherapeutics.

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About the Alpha-1 Foundation:
The mission of the Alpha-1 Foundation is to provide the leadership and resources that will result in increased research, improved health, worldwide detection, and a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.
For more information, please visit: www.alphaone.org.

About the COPD Foundation:
The COPD Foundation is dedicated to developing and supporting programs which improve the quality of life through research, education, early diagnosis, and enhanced therapy for persons whose lives are impacted by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
For more information, please visit www.copdfoundation.org/
 

 Foundations Cheer Victory as DOT Rule Mandates that Airlines
Must Accept Carry-On Portable Oxygen Concentrators Aboard Flights

Miami, FL – The US Department of Transportation has ruled that airlines must accept portable oxygen concentrators carried aboard by passengers, as long as those concentrators are approved by the DOT.

John W. Walsh, President and CEO of the Alpha-1 Foundation and President of the COPD Foundation, welcomed the news. “This is great news for the Alpha-1 and COPD communities,” Walsh said. “Our community has put significant effort into this issue, and we’re pleased that the Airline Oxygen Council of America has helped facilitate this victory.”

The Airline Oxygen Council of America (AOCA) has been spearheading the effort to ease access to medical oxygen for airline passengers. The AOCA website is funded by the Alpha-1 Foundation through a grant from the Ruderman Family Foundation.

“This is a great step forward,” said Morton Ruderman of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “This will make air travel more accessible and convenient for those of us who need supplemental oxygen. We have much more to do – patients using less expensive alternatives to the portable concentrators, such as liquid oxygen, deserve easier access to air travel as well – but we we can all be pleased with this ruling.”

The new rule will make it easier for passengers to use medical oxygen during flights by requiring airlines to allow the use
in the passenger cabin of portable oxygen concentrators that meet applicable safety, security and hazardous materials
requirements for safe use aboard aircraft.

Previously airlines themselves made the choice whether or not they would allow portable oxygen concentrators to be carried aboard the plane.

Five portable oxygen concentrators have been approved for passengers to carry aboard aircraft: AirSep FreeStyle, AirSep LifeStyle, Inogen One, Respirnics EverGo and Sequal Eclipse. “This revised rule expands the protections people with disabilities will enjoy while traveling by air,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said.

The new rule will apply to US air carriers worldwide and to foreign air carriers operating a flight that begins or ends in
the United States. Passengers flying to Europe, Asia, or other destinations on foreign air carriers now will have similar
protections against discriminatory policies and be entitled to the same accommodations as passengers flying on U.S.
carriers. DOT will also be better able to take enforcement action against a foreign carrier if it discriminates against an
individual because of his or her disability on flights to or from the United States

The DOT will seek further comment about whether airlines should be required to provide medical oxygen to passengers upon request. A public hearing on the new ruling is scheduled in Washington June 3. The new rule will be effective in one year to give carriers enough time to begin implementing its provisions. The text of the final rule is available on the Internet at www.regulations.gov, docket number DOT-OST-2004-19482.

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About the Alpha-1 Foundation:
The mission of the Alpha-1 Foundation is to provide the leadership and resources that will result in increased research, improved health, worldwide detection, and a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. For more information, please visit: www.alphaone.org.

About the COPD Foundation:
The COPD Foundation is dedicated to developing and supporting programs which improve the quality of life through research, education, early diagnosis, and enhanced therapy for persons whose lives are impacted by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. For more information, please visit www.copdfoundation.org/
 

Bethesda. MD – The Alpha-1 Foundation and COPD Foundation are sponsoring a workshop this week for specialists from around the world to review the state of the art in CT Scan technology and arrive at a set of recommendations for future research on COPD.

The two-day workshop beginning Thursday is formally entitled “Quantitive Chest  Tomography in COPD Research” and will involve both presentations and discussions by experts attending from as far away as Japan.  According to Alpha-1 Foundation Scientific Director Adam Wanner, MD, “Quantitative computed tomography has the potential to be a very important tool to study the genetics and pathogenesis of COPD, as well as the potential effect of therapeutic interventions. The central problem is, there is currently no standardized method for CT scanning in COPD.”

Wanner said he hopes information gathered at the workshop will ultimately serve as the basis for an international CT scanning standard The overall chair of the workshop is Harvey Coxson, MD, of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC. Co-chairs are Stephen Rennard, MD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha; John Newell, MD, National Jewish Medical & Research Center, Denver, CO, and Jan Stolk, MD, of Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.

Workshop presenters include Drs. Coxson, Rennard and Newell; Martine Remy- Jardin, MD, of Albert-Calmette Hospital in Lille, France; and Masaharu Nishimura, MD, of Hokkaido University School of Medicine in Japan

The Alpha-1 Foundation and COPD Foundation are grateful to the following organizations for providing sponsorship to support this workshop, the 10th installment of the Gordon L. Snider Critical Issues Workshop Series: AlphaNet, Arriva Pharmaceuticals, Baxter Healthcare, CSL Behring, Kamada Ltd., Roche Pharmaceuticals, Spiration Inc. and Talecris Biotherapeutics. About the Alpha-1 Foundation: The mission of the Alpha-1 Foundation is to provide the leadership and resources that will result in increased research, improved health, worldwide detection, and a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. For more information, please visit: www.alphaone.org.

About the COPD Foundation: The COPD Foundation is dedicated to developing and supporting programs which improve the quality of life through research, education, early diagnosis, and enhanced therapy for persons whose lives are impacted by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. For more information, please visit www.copdfoundation.org/

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Contact: Bob Campbell
1-888-825-7421, ext. 230
rcampbell@alphaone.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 29, 2007

COPD Foundation Applauds New York Times
Feature Examining Genetic Causes of COPD

MIAMI, FL – John W. Walsh, president of the COPD Foundation, today applauded The New York Times for its front-page feature story on COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

 The Times identifies smoking as the leading cause of COPD, but also points out that genes and chronic inflammation are the latest suspects for researchers as they focus on the underlying causes. Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1) is identified as the “genetic disorder known to cause emphysema.”

 Walsh said, “We applaud The Times for its focus on COPD and its presentation of a balanced story. We especially appreciate its spotlighting today’s cutting-edge research on genetic factors, which will accelerate targeted therapies for COPD patients.”

 COPD is an umbrella term for emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Alpha-1, the most common known genetic risk factor for emphysema, is sometimes called “genetic COPD”  More than 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD and as many more probably have the condition and don’t know it, according to the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute.

 The Times quotes Walsh as deploring the “shame and blame” attached to the disease, which appears to be one reason the disease is under-diagnosed and why “Patients often come to me with years of being under treated,” according to Dr. Byron Thomashow, director of the Center for Chest Disease at New York Presbyterian/Columbia Hospital, and a board member of the COPD Foundation.

 The newspaper’s front-page COPD story is online here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/29/health/29lung.html\

 Dr. Thomashow answers questions on COPD online here:
http://science.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/28/readers-questions-copd/

 Walsh will give the keynote address at the 53^rd International Respiratory Congress of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) this Saturday, Dec. 1 in Orlando, FL. 

 Walsh and the COPD Foundation have been involved as key partners with the AARC and other organizations in the NIH, National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI) “Learn More, Breathe Better” campaign, the first-ever national COPD awareness and education campaign.

 As part of that NHLBI campaign, the COPD Foundation and AARC send Mobile Spirometry Units (MSU) all over the United States, to health fairs, fitness expositions and other events, offering free spirometry to encourage early diagnosis of those at risk for COPD and to inform them about Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. The AARC has collaborated and ensures that respiratory therapists meet the MSU at each location to perform spirometries and answer questions.

 Walsh recently lobbied Congress with Grace Anne Dorney Koppel, a patient advocate for the “Learn More, Breathe Better” campaign, and AARC Executive Director Sam Giordano, urging that pulmonary rehabilitation be established as a Medicare benefit.

 Well-known as an inspirational and motivational patient speaker, Walsh has COPD related to Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.

 About the COPD Foundation:
The COPD Foundation is dedicated to developing and supporting programs which improve the quality of life through research, education, early diagnosis, and enhanced therapy for persons whose lives are impacted by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

For more information, please visit www.copdfoundation.org/

About the Alpha-1 Foundation:
The mission of the Alpha-1 Foundation is to provide the leadership and resources that will result in increased research, improved health, worldwide detection, and a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. For more information, please visit: www.alphaone.org.

# # #

Dey, L.P. Partners with COPD Foundation
11/28/2007

NAPA, Calif., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of November as National COPD Awareness Month, Dey, L.P., a subsidiary of Mylan Inc. , has entered into a partnership with the COPD Foundation in support of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to raise public awareness of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), also known as emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Through an unrestricted educational grant to the COPD Foundation, Dey, L.P. is supporting the COPD Learn More Breathe Better campaign, an ongoing initiative to educate the public about COPD and its treatment, and to urge screening and early detection of the disease.

According to the NHLBI's COPD Learn More Breathe Better campaign, COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. after heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Approximately 12 million Americans are being treated for the disease, and it is estimated that at least another 12 million are unaware that they suffer from COPD. A simple screening test called spirometry can identify those affected by COPD and enable them to start receiving treatment. The COPD Learn More Breathe Better campaign targets people over the age of 45, particularly current or former smokers or people at risk for a genetic predisposition to COPD or environmental exposures.

"COPD is a hidden epidemic in this country, and National COPD Awareness Month is critically important as an opportunity to combat the public health crisis of this disease," said John W. Walsh, President of the COPD Foundation and President and CEO of The Alpha-1 Foundation. "On behalf of the COPD Foundation, I salute Dey, L.P. for becoming the first pharmaceutical company to provide support for this national public awareness campaign. The company's commitment to patients and their caregivers is reflected not only in its support of the COPD Learn More Breathe Better campaign, but also in its newly created educational resource kit for COPD caregivers. The COPD Foundation is delighted now to be able to offer these unique, free resource kits through our COPD Call Center."

"We are proud to join the COPD Foundation in support of the NHLBI's effort to increase public awareness of COPD," said Carolyn Myers, Ph.D., President of Dey, L.P. "As a U.S. leader in nebulized respiratory medications, we have a strong commitment to helping patients understand COPD and receive appropriate treatment. Through this collaboration with the COPD Foundation in support of the NHLBI, Dey will contribute to the campaign's consumer education events as well as to its distribution of educational materials to physicians and the general public."

Caring for Someone with Emphysema or Chronic Bronchitis, Dey's new educational resource kit for COPD caregivers, provides disease information, an overview of various COPD treatment options, and practical lifestyle tips and other suggestions on ways to care for someone living with COPD. Free copies of this COPD caregiver kit may be requested through the COPD Foundation Call Center at 1-866-316-COPD.

About COPD

COPD refers to a number of chronic lung disorders in which the airways to the lungs become narrowed and breathing becomes increasingly difficult. The most common forms of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema, and many patients suffer from a combination of the two diseases.

COPD is not well understood or recognized -- most Americans have not heard of it, not even those who may be living with the condition. The most common cause of COPD is cigarette smoking, which is responsible for an estimated 80 to 90 percent of COPD cases. Estimates of the total incidence of COPD in America range from 24 to 30 million.

About Dey, L.P.

Dey, L.P., a subsidiary of Mylan Inc. , is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription drug products for the treatment of respiratory diseases, respiratory-related allergies, and emergency care medicine. As the U.S. leader in sales of nebulized respiratory medication, Dey, L.P. puts patients first through its development of innovative and affordable therapies. The Web sites for Dey, L.P. include www.dey.com, www.accuneb.com, www.curosurfusa.com, www.cyanokit.com, www.duoneb.com, www.epipen.com and www.perforomist.com.

About Mylan

Mylan Inc. is one of the world's leading quality generic and specialty pharmaceutical companies. The Company offers one of the industry's broadest and highest quality product portfolios, a robust product pipeline and a global commercial footprint through operations in more than 90 countries. Through its controlling interest in Matrix Laboratories Limited, Mylan has direct access to one of the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturers in the world. Dey, L.P., Mylan's fully integrated specialty business, provides the Company with innovative and diversified opportunities in the respiratory and allergy therapeutic areas.

For more information about Mylan, please visit www.mylan.comhullman@fkhealth.com

CONTACT: Dey, L.P. Media Line, +1-800-755-5560 ext. 8363; Harriet Ullman
of Feinstein Kean Healthcare, +1-617-761-6776, hullman@fkhealth.com

Web site: http://www.dey.com/
http://www.mylan.com/
 

STARTING 2007 WITH A BANG:
COPD FOUNDATION LAUNCHES
MOBILE SPIROMETRY UNIT, VIRTUAL CALL CENTER,
AND NEW LOOK ON COPD FOUNDATION WEBSITE

 Miami, FL-(Jan. 18): The COPD Foundation is proud to begin the new year with exciting programs that will expand national COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) awareness. The COPD Foundation commends the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) for their efforts in developing the National COPD Awareness campaign, which will help reach individuals who are at-risk for or symptomatic with undiagnosed COPD, as well as recently diagnosed patients and their family members by providing information about the disease. To bolster the campaign's impact, the COPD Foundation is launching awareness and education initiatives in concert with the national campaign roll-out today.

On Saturday, January 13th, the COPD Foundation Mobile Spirometry Unit (MSU) staged its first event at the NBC 4 Health & Fitness Expo in Washington, DC, providing 861 free spirometries to participants and distributing thousands of collateral education materials to attendees. The MSU consists of a truck and trailer traveling to health expos, senior fairs, state and county fairs, and other events across the nation. At each stop, the MSU will offer free spirometry testing by respiratory therapists for those who are symptomatic or at-risk of developing COPD. A spirometry test records the total air flow, lung volume, as well as other measurements that will help the person understand how their lungs are working. At the MSU booth, passersby can take information on COPD and how to talk to their doctor for further testing. By correctly answering COPD questions, attendees can register to win a prize. The next stop for the MSU is in Daytona Beach, Florida at the end of January.

In addition, two initiatives are underway to support the increased COPD information needs around the country by making the COPD Foundation the one-stop shop for COPD information. One initiative is the C.O.P.D. (Call Our Patients Direct) Information Line, to provide information to individuals without Internet savvy or access. The call center is staffed by volunteer patients who are prepared to handle calls from seasoned COPD patients, caregivers, recently diagnosed patients, symptomatic individuals or members of the general public interested in more information about COPD. The call center is available free of charge to the caller. The call center will operate from 9 am EST to 9 pm EST and will begin operations today via 1-866-316-COPD (2673).

To enhance the ability of individuals seeking COPD information on the Internet, the COPD Foundation has re-designed its website. The new look is only a small portion of the overhaul, with the majority of efforts focused on boosting the amount of information on the site. Anyone with internet access will be able to find information about COPD, access up-to-date news on the progress of COPD research, subscribe to the free quarterly magazine, find listings of clinical trial opportunities across the nation, and our calendar of events where everyone can keep track of the Foundation events held in cities across the U.S. The COPD Foundation website is www.copdfoundation.org. Further information can be obtained by contacting Molly McGuire, mmcguire@alphaone.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or 305-788-2956.

About COPD:
COPD is an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory asthma, and severe bronchitis. COPD affects approximately 36 million Americans, including 24 million that are undiagnosed or unaware they have COPD. An individual dies every 4 minutes of COPD in the U.S. COPD is currently the 4th leading cause of death but will be the 3rd leading cause of death by 2020.

About the COPD Foundation:
The mission of the COPD Foundation is to develop and support programs that 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.