February 1st, 2005

Contacts:
Andy Weisser, (818) 703-6444, aweisser@earthlink.net
www.californialung.org
or your local American Lung Association at (800) LUNG-USA.

California State Income Tax Return Allows California Taxpayers to Donate to Asthma and Lung Disease Research

Research is Key to Better Treatments, Possible Cures for Lung Disease

(Oakland, CA) – Take a deep breath when you do your taxes this year and think about the thousands of Californians who can’t. Research holds the key to better treatments and possibly even cures for the one in seven Californians who live with lung diseases like asthma, emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). California taxpayers can invest in lung disease research through their 2004 state income tax returns.

Lung disease is taking a heavy toll on our state and nation, killing nearly 344,000 people in this country (more than 35,200 in California) every year and costing more than $71 billion in medical expenses. Nearly one in five cases of both diminished health and depression can be attributed to lung disease.

Californians can breathe easier at tax time by donating to the Asthma and Lung Disease Research Fund on their 2004 California state income tax returns. The fund is located under the Contributions section on the tax form. Taxpayers write in the amount they want to donate and add it to their tax payment or deduct it from their refund.

Every dollar raised through the Asthma and Lung Disease Research Fund supports the American Lung Association of California’s research program, which includes grants totaling more than $725,000 each year to researchers in California studying the basic mechanisms of lung disease.

The association also funds clinical research centers, including the Asthma Clinical Research Center at the University of California, San Diego. The first in California, the center is part of the American Lung Association’s nationwide network of 20 research centers, the country’s largest not-for-profit network of clinical research centers dedicated to asthma. The network conducts large-scale clinical trials that have a direct impact on patient care and asthma treatment.

Research Improves Lives

Research funded by the American Lung Association over the last century has led to more effective treatments and played a key role in improving lives. The nationwide American Lung Association has granted millions of dollars to scientific studies on lung disease, investing more than $58 million in just the last 20 years, funding more than 2,000 scientists. These researchers have produced major discoveries, including Mary Ellen Avery, MD, who helped uncover the importance of surfactant in the lungs, which led to a dramatic rise in the survival of premature babies.

The American Lung Association of California launched its research program in 1958. In the last decade alone, the association has granted nearly $5 million to scientists in California.

Every year the association reviews applications from researchers across the state and grants up to $50,000 to projects that meet its guidelines. In fiscal year 2004-2005, $732,000 was awarded to 19 researchers at 10 California institutions. Funded projects include studies on air pollution and asthma, the role of PET scans in assessing early lung cancer lesions, cells that promote airway inflammation, the role of a specific gene in mucus production, and a newly cloned gene that appears to regulate asthma.

Juliana Oh, Ph.d., hopes that one day her American Lung Association of California-funded study will help people with lung cancer live longer. The University of California, Los Angeles, researcher is investigating a specific gene that suppresses lung cancer growth.

“The loss of this gene could be a way to detect lung cancer much earlier,” Dr. Oh said. “This has the potential to make a huge difference in the lives of people with lung cancer.”

More Research Needed

Despite important advances, there still is no cure for lung diseases like asthma, emphysema, COPD, and lung cancer. Yet these diseases continue to impact our families and our communities.

Asthma rates have nearly doubled in the last 20 years reaching epidemic proportions. An estimated $11.5 billion is spent in the U.S. each year to treat the chronic illness, which is a leading cause of school absenteeism.

COPD kills more than 10,000 Californians every year. An estimated $20.9 billion is spent in this country each year on medical costs related to COPD.

California continues to report the highest number of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the country. While TB cases dropped 1.4 percent nationwide in 2003, TB cases increased 1.9 percent in California.

“If we really want to achieve our goal of a world free from lung disease, it will require some incredible science,” said Spencer Koerner, MD, former director of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He has reviewed hundreds of research projects on behalf of the statewide and nationwide American Lung Association. “Research is the only way we will ever eliminate lung disease and stop the suffering it causes.”

For more information about the Asthma and Lung Disease Research Fund or current research projects, visit www.californialung.org.

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.call 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872) or visit www.californialung.org.