TOP NEWS
National Health Organizations Recommend Flu Vaccinations to Reduce Severe Illness, Hospitalizations
The American Lung Association recently joined the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association (ADA), and National Foundation for Infectious Diseases in urging everyone 6 months and older to get an annual flu vaccine. Last year’s flu season was the most severe in more than a decade. Adults age 65 and older, pregnant individuals and individuals with chronic health conditions, including asthma, COPD, heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease, are most at risk for complications. Last year, 94.1% of adults and 53.5% of children and adolescents hospitalized with the flu had at least one underlying medical condition, according to the CDC. Learn more about how to protect you and your family from the flu.
Act Now: Ask Congress to Extend Healthcare Tax Credits
Millions of people rely on healthcare tax credits to access quality, affordable health coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace (i.e., Healthcare.gov). However, enhanced tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year, and Congress still has not passed legislation to extend them. Without an extension of the tax credits, people’s monthly premiums will, on average, more than double. Bottom line – if the enhanced tax credits expire, more than four million people would lose their healthcare coverage and costs would rise for millions more. Join us in telling Congress to extend enhanced healthcare tax credits to protect access to quality, affordable healthcare coverage for millions of people.
LUNG FORCE
Jason Preston, Local Future Leaders Honored at Clippers Game
Lung Association National Ambassador and San Diego Clippers player Jason Preston, along with members of the Lung Association’s local Youth Board, were honored during a recent Clippers game.
Preston, who lost his mother to lung cancer, has partnered with the Lung Association to raise awareness about lung cancer and the importance of lung health. During the game, the San Diego Youth Board—known as the “Founding Future Leaders”—enjoyed courtside seats and were recognized before tip-off for their efforts to support individuals living with lung disease. At halftime, Preston participated in a media interview and joined the Future Leaders for a group photo, celebrating their shared commitment to lung health. To date, the San Diego Future Leaders have raised more than $7,000 for local Lung Association programs and resources.
RESEARCH
Our Funded Research: Airway Germs, DNA Changes and Asthma
Thanks in part to funding by the American Lung Association Research Institute, Zhaozhong Zhu, ScD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and a team of scientists were able to follow 504 infants hospitalized with severe bronchiolitis to explore how airway germs may influence long-term lung health. As recently published in the Allergy journal, they found that certain bacteria in the nose and throat, including Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae, were linked with changes in DNA methylation and “biological age” markers in blood. Notably, a pattern of slowed DNA “age” was associated with a higher risk of developing asthma by age 6. These microbiome–host interactions were tied to immune response pathways, offering new clues about how early-life infections might shape future respiratory disease risk.
YOUR HEALTH/HEALTH PROMOTIONS
Does Your Workplace Expose You to Lung Irritants?
Many industries such as mining, manufacturing or farming may expose you to hazardous substances that can increase your risk of developing a lung disease. These three steps can help you determine your risk and take action to protect your lung health:
- Take a brief assessment to help determine your risk.
- Learn more about work-related exposure.
- Speak with your healthcare provider about any concerns you have.
Looking for Support in Managing a Chronic Lung Condition?
Better Breathers Clubs help adults with COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer and other chronic lung diseases learn practical ways to manage symptoms and stay active.
- Learn how a Club can support you with strategies to cope more confidently.
- Discover what happens at a meeting with guest speakers, problem-solving discussions and social activities led by trained facilitators.
- Find a Club near you and take the first step toward better lung health.
ADVOCACY
EPA Delaying Protections Against Methane ‘Puts Families at Risk’
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized an interim final rule from earlier this summer to delay vital safeguards that limit methane pollution from the oil and gas industry. “Methane, often mislabeled as ‘natural’ gas, is a primary driver of health-harming climate change that puts families across the country at risk from extreme weather events, wildfires, vector-borne diseases and more,” said Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer in a statement. “This move is a gift to polluters and a direct attack on the communities who will bear the brunt of dirtier air and a warming planet.”
EACH BREATH BLOG
The Truth About What Vaping Is Doing to Your Body
When e-cigarettes first hit the shelves, they were advertised as a “safer” alternative for adults looking to quit tobacco. But Panagis Galiatsatos, M.D., a pulmonary and critical care physician at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and a Lung Association national spokesperson, warns that this incorrect perception could set up another generation for decades of health problems. In fact, researchers quickly determined that the “e-juice” that fills vaping cartridges is highly addictive, with one pod containing as much nicotine as an entire pack of cigarettes. And like cigarettes, the mid-to-long-term health consequences of e-cigarettes are just starting to be understood, and it may take many years before the damage--lung cancer, COPD. Read more.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
For over 120 years, we’ve been dedicated to making a difference and saving lives. Our efforts impact the more than 35 million people living in the United States with chronic lung disease, and millions more through our pioneering model of education, advocacy and research. Thank you for all you do to help us breathe more easily! Visit Lung.org/get-involved to learn more about how you can make a difference.
Blog last updated: December 12, 2025
