American Lung Association Recognizes 2009 World TB Day

Stephen J. Nolan, chairman of the American Lung Association, made the following statement today:  “One hundred and five years after Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau founded our health organization and dedicated it to eradicating tuberculosis (TB), the American Lung Association joins thousands of individuals around the globe in celebrating 2009 World TB Day. Today, we recognize the lives and struggles of people affected by TB including women, men and children who have taken TB treatment, as well as nurses, doctors, researchers and community workers and all individuals who have contributed towards the global fight against TB. A fight against a disease which infects one-third of the world's population. A fight against an organism that kills an estimated 1.6 million people each year and is a leading killer of people living with HIV.”

Nolan continues, “In 2008, there were 12,898 cases of active TB reported in the U.S. While declining overall TB rates are good news, the emergence and spread of multi-drug resistant TB pose a significant threat to the public health of our nation. Last week, the American Lung Association testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies and asked for continued support for TB program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention if the U.S. is going to continue progress toward the elimination of TB. We requested that Congress increase funding for tuberculosis programs to $210 million for FY 2010.”

Nolan adds, “Finally, consistent with its mission to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, the American Lung Association is continuing to investigate better tools to combat the ways in which lung disease discriminates against minority populations in this country, including people with TB and TB/HIV. Among other steps, the American Lung Association is advocating for the commitment of more resources to develop interventions targeted to populations at high risk for TB; require continued support to maintain the capacity and expertise needed to respond to future TB cases in low incidence areas in the U.S., especially in light of changing immigration patterns; and to promote collaborative efforts within the international community to reduce the burden of TB globally.”