American Lung Association Launches $25 Million Initiative to Combat COVID-19, Respiratory Viruses

The American Lung Association (ALA) has started a $25M initiative to address the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and other future respiratory virus pandemics.

The COVID-19 Action Initiative will be used to expand the association’s ongoing respiratory research program, enhance key public health measures, and establish an advanced network to stop future pandemics, according to a press release. Additionally, the initiative will work with public and private entities to increase research collaboration and develop new vaccines, detection tests, and treatment therapies.

ALA will fund respiratory virus research through the following channels with its COVID-19 Action Initiative:

• Expand COVID-19 research within the current clinical trials of the Airways Clinical Research Center (ACRC) Network.
• Fund coronavirus awards and grants for preventive research, vaccines, antivirals, and to advance future outbreak preparedness.
• Provide ACRC pilot grants to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on patients with chronic lung disease.

Further, ALA will allocate funds to education and advocacy to support public health against the current and future risks of COVID-19 and respiratory viruses.

"More than 36 million people in the US suffer from lung disease, which places them at higher risk for experiencing complications of COVID-19, making it even more critical that we urgently work on reducing its impact," American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer said in a press release. "Our association was founded on the principle of using education, advocacy and research to eradicate tuberculosis, and we will use those same principles to ensure our nation can address today's pandemic and is prepared for future lung infections like COVID-19."

More information on the association's COVID-19 Action Initiative can be found at Lung.org/cv19-action.

REFERENCE

American Lung Association commits $25M to address COVID-19 and emerging respiratory viruses [news release]. Chicago, Ill.; PR Newswire: April 9, 2020. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-lung-association-commits-25m-to-address-covid-19-and-emerging-respiratory-viruses-301038383.html. Accessed April 13, 2020.