TOP STORIES
New, Free Program Helps People with COPD Gain Control Over Symptoms and Improve Quality of Life
The American Lung Association has a new initiative to help people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) better manage symptoms and improve quality of life. More than 16 million people in the United States have COPD, a chronic, progressive disease that limits air flow and causes difficulty breathing. The new program includes free, one-on-one support from our Lung Health Navigators and other resources for individuals living with COPD and healthcare providers. Learn more about COPD at Lung.org/copd. To connect with a Lung Health Navigator, call 866-252-2959, or visit Lung.org/navigator Support for the campaign provided by Sanofi, Regeneron, AstraZeneca and Genentech.
Have a Chronic Cough? We Want to Hear from You.
We’re gathering information about the social and emotional impact of a chronic cough. Your answers to our short survey will help us understand and explain to others the challenges of living with a chronic cough and how we can best serve people living with this condition. The survey will take approximately 4–5 minutes. Thank you for your help. Take the survey
This survey was developed by the American Lung Association in collaboration with GSK and is sponsored by GSK.
YOUR HEALTH
Three Things to Know About Bronchiectasis
Somewhere between 350,000 and 500,000 U.S. adults are living with bronchiectasis, a chronic lung condition where the walls of your airways (bronchi) widen and thicken from inflammation. To educate adults living with bronchiectasis about treatment options and how to prevent infections and flare-ups, we’ve launched a new initiative, with support from Boehringer Ingelheim, that includes sharing three things that everyone should know about this disease.
ADVOCACY
New Studies Based on NASA Data Show Potential for Satellites to Monitor Air Pollution
New research published in the journal GeoHealth shows how data from NASA satellites can be used to estimate fine particulate matter (PM2.5), complementing the existing U.S. air quality monitoring network by quantifying particle pollution in counties where there are no air quality monitors. This is significant because nearly 80% of counties do not have ground-based monitors for particle pollution. The report was authored by leading air quality experts from the American Lung Association, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Washington University in St. Louis. Read more.
A Win for Clean Air: Court Upholds Lifesaving National Soot Air Quality Standard
The U.S. Court of Appeals recently upheld the national, health-based limit on fine particulate matter (PM2.5), also known as soot, that the Environmental Protection Agency strengthened in 2024. "The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set pollution standards to protect people’s health,” said Laura Kate Bender, Lung Association vice president of advocacy and public policy. "These standards will make an important difference, especially for communities near a pollution source like a power plant." In the U.S., 75.9 million people across 21 states are exposed to particle pollution levels above the 2024 standard. Read more.
RESEARCH
Our Funded Research: Tackling Lung Cancer Therapy Resistance
According to a new study in Science Advances, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center researchers have developed experimental antibodies that target PCDH7, a protein that promotes certain lung cancers. Thanks in part to an American Lung Association Lung Cancer Discovery Award presented to one of the study investigators, Kathryn O'Donnell, PhD, preclinical models of KRAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancer demonstrated that the antibodies slowed tumor growth and remained effective even when tumors had become resistant to KRAS-targeted therapies. The findings highlight PCDH7 as a promising target to help overcome drug resistance in lung cancer. Read more.
EACH BREATH BLOG
From Smoker to Advocate: A Powerful Lung Health Journey
Regina Bartlett, a Lung Association Board Member in Rhode Island, shares her journey to quit smoking, and why the mission of the Lung Association is so personal. "When we talk about lung health, it’s easy to think in terms of data, percentages, outcomes and prevention strategies," Regina says in a new blog. "But I want to focus on something even more fundamental. I want to talk about breath. Because breath is personal." Read more.
Blog last updated: July 10, 2026
