THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION’S IMPACT WITH COVID-19 PLUS, THE LOCAL INITIATIVE YOU CAN JOIN BY ELIZABETH WALTON
R
ecently, the American Lung Association took a bold and lifesaving step for lung health as it launched its COVID-19 Action Initiative, a comprehensive $25M effort to end COVID-19 and defend against future respiratory virus pandemics.
lung disease clinical trials. The Center started in 1971 as a small, specialized research effort in respiratory sciences at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. It has evolved into an internationally renowned, comprehensive center that combines the highest caliber of research, clinical care and teaching.
COVID-19, like most in the coronavirus family, is a respiratory disease. And the American Lung Association is uniquely positioned to have a substantial and rapid impact. Through its established research program, the Lung Association will be funding coronavirus awards and grants for preventive research, vaccines, and antivirals, and tapping into their established Airways Clinical Research Centers (ACRC) Network—the nation’s largest not-for-profit network of clinical centers dedicated to asthma and COPD research.
“The Lung Association has always played a key role in managing respiratory viruses ranging from our work with influenza to funding basic research on understanding COVID-19,” says American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer. “We intend to serve as the convener of government, private industry, and public health organizations to form a coalition that ensures better preparedness to meet the virus outbreaks of the future.”
One of the ACRC sites happens to be located in Tucson, Arizona. The University of Arizona Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center has a long history of conducting
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greenliving | June/July 2020
In addition to raising funds to increase research, the Lung Association will support education and advocacy efforts to prepare for future threats from COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. greenlivingaz.com
