COPD Policy & Advocacy

The American Lung Association advocates on behalf of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, at the federal, state and local levels. Learn how you can advocate for policies that keep our communities healthy and safe.

Federal

In Congress, the Lung Association is a leading advocate for COPD patients. Greater knowledge is needed about COPD, and the Lung Association advocates for increased research funding for COPD and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Veteran's Affairs and other federal programs. We also support increasing coverage and access to pulmonary rehabilitation services for COPD patients.

As a member of the U.S. COPD Coalition's policy workgroup, we join others to work with members of Congress in the Congressional COPD Caucus to promote public awareness, prevention and early detection of COPD. By advocating for a higher federal cigarette tax and strong, effective regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration, tobacco use rates in America will decline, which will help decrease the number of Americans diagnosed with COPD.

State and Community

At the local level, the Lung Association advocates for policies that will help prevent COPD. Higher cigarette taxes, comprehensive smoke-free indoor air laws, and fully funded tobacco prevention and cessation programs will reduce the number of cigarette smokers and will help decrease the number of people diagnosed with COPD each year.

We are also working to increase knowledge and awareness of COPD. The Lung Association advocates at the state level for the inclusion of questions on each state's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey about COPD, so that state prevalence data on the disease can be collected nationwide. In addition, the Lung Association works with state governments on the development and designation of funds for a state COPD plan, as well as other COPD programs on the state level.