Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is both treatable and often preventable, yet it remains a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Support for awareness and educational programs that target people at risk for COPD or who have been diagnosed with COPD are scarce, but Sanofi and Regeneron have made a significant commitment to support the Lung Association in kicking off a campaign aimed at addressing unmet needs for people living with COPD. The Lung Association was charged with helping those living with COPD to proactively engage with their healthcare teams on a treatment plan that offers the best possible health outcomes.
Beginning in 2023, Sanofi and Regeneron supported several key initiatives aimed to improve lung health for the over 11 million people living in the United States with COPD. Reflecting on campaign successes and looking forward to increasing reach and impact based on the strong foundation built in 2024, we are sharing some major impacts made during the COPD for Life program.
Dedicated and Personal Support
For the first time, Lung Health Navigators, which include registered nurses, respiratory therapists and certified tobacco treatment specialists, are available to assist individuals throughout their journey with COPD. People can meet with their dedicated Lung Health Navigator over the phone, via live online chat or video conference call whenever it works best for their schedule. Over 230 individuals participated in this pilot program, and the results demonstrate both the need and impact of the service. Participants were asked at the beginning and end of the program a series of questions to gauge how much COPD impacts their life. As hoped, the results indicate that patients who completed the program experience less of an impact from COPD than they did before getting support from a Lung Health Navigator. Patients continue to express their gratitude for the convenience of calling one number to get basic COPD questions answered, receive assistance in finding a lung specialist, learn to navigate insurance plans or assistance programs and find tobacco cessation resources. Mary Ruth Brehmer, Director, US/Global Patient Advocacy with Regeneron, couldn’t agree more, and shared, “During this age of digital communication, we appreciate the personal touch the American Lung Association is providing the patient community through Lung Health Navigators. The consistency of having patients speak with the same Lung Health Navigator each time so that they can develop a relationship through several conversations is important.” Patients also receive printed materials mailed directly to their home to reference between calls and have found valuable information worth sharing with their healthcare providers at their next medical appointment.
Simplified Management Tools
The American Lung Association’s easier-to-read COPD Action Plan is now available in a simple format and multiple languages. This new tool lists the steps to take to manage COPD and what to do about new or worsening symptoms without being overcomplicated, which can lead to patients feeling overwhelmed or confused. “The idea of the COPD Action Plan is to be a useful resource for the patient and/or carer to track how they are doing, and when they aren’t doing well, to take appropriate action.” Lisa Schmitt, US Public Affairs & Patient Advocacy Lead with Sanofi and goes on to say, “It is also important for people to have information (especially health-related information) in their native language to improve understanding and be able to act on it.”
Likewise, sometimes patients want all the information at once, and that’s available in the Learning to Live with COPD workbook. Others wish for simplicity, and for those moments, the Lung Association introduced the COPD Basics Booklet. By working with our patient advisory group to capture the most important topics and integrating health literacy best practices, this booklet is a simple guide for individuals available free online or as a hard-copy format for those with limited or no online access.
Enhanced Outreach Efforts
While there has been significant progress in the care and treatment options available for managing COPD in recent years, not all individuals living with the disease are aware of or have access. As such, it is vital to both identify and act upon the factors that contribute to disparities in health outcomes.
Mary Ruth commented, “People living in rural communities face unique challenges. One might be as simple as access to high-speed internet, telephonic coaching and support, along with the ability to receive hardcopy resources mailed to their home can help minimize this barrier.”
Lisa agrees. “Women are often the primary caregiver for multiple generations and may be less likely to prioritize their own health for time and resource reasons. It’s important for us to educate and support women living with COPD especially because they tend to be diagnosed with COPD later and with more severe disease”
Key learnings from this campaign will inform future initiatives as the American Lung Association continues its mission to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.
Learn more at Lung.org/copd or by calling 800-LUNG-USA.
Blog last updated: March 21, 2025
