Contacts:
Paul Knepprath, 916.442.4446, ext. 13
Andy Weisser, 818.703.6444
or your local American Lung Association
at (800) LUNG-USA.
www.californialung.org

Vote NO on Proposition 54, Advises American Lung Association of California
So-called "racial privacy initiative" will block collection and use of important health information to help combat diseases.

(September 26, 2003, Oakland, CA) The American Lung Association of California urges voters to reject Proposition 54, the Classification by Race, Ethnicity, Color or National Origin initiative appearing on the October 7 special statewide ballot.

Voters should be aware that the prohibition on the collection and use of race and ethnic based data in Proposition 54 would impede the better understanding, assessing and treating of diseases. Many diseases have disproportionate impacts by race and ethnicity. In California, for example, asthma hits hardest American Indians and Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders and African Americans. Emergency room and hospitalizations for asthma also vary by race and ethnicity with African Americans experiencing considerably higher rates than any other group, according to the California Department of Health Services.

Proposition 54 would place limits on our ability to collect and use this information to address the specific needs of priority populations through education, research and prevention programs. The exemption in the initiative for "medical research subjects and patients" is sufficiently vague to cause the American Lung Association of California serious concern. The exemption is unclear and ambiguous and would be left to the courts or legislative interpretation, which is too much of a risk for scientific and health concerns.

California is a diverse state. Proposition 54 fails to account for our differences by the impact of diseases and the delivery of health care and disease prevention programs, so that we may achieve a truly "color blind" society.

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For 100 years, the American Lung Association has been the lead organization working to prevent lung disease and promote lung health. Lung disease death rates continue to increase while other leading causes of death have declined. The American Lung Association funds vital research on the causes of and treatments for lung disease. With the generous support of the public, the American Lung Association is "Improving life, one breath at a time." For more information about the American Lung Association or to support the work it does, call 1.800.LUNG.USA (1.800.586.4872) or visit www.californialung.org or www.lungusa.org.