COPD Advocacy
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a leading cause of disease burden – after heart disease and stroke. The Lung Foundation has estimated that over 1 million people in Australia have COPD, with recent research showing that as many as 1 in 7 people over 40 has COPD.
Alarmingly, of those with COPD at least half don’t know they have it. This means that the vast majority of those with COPD are not taking the crucial steps necessary to manage their condition and stem its progress.
In addition to its human toll, the economic toll of COPD is equally alarming.
Despite these grim statistics, COPD is not yet recognized by the Commonwealth Government as one of its health care priorities.
To address this, the Lung Foundation's COPD National Program has an active advocacy program.
- The Australian Lung Foundation submission to the National Health & Hospital Reform Commission 2008
- Economic Impact of COPD and Cost Effective Solutions, Access Economics 2008
- Northern Centre for Lung & Sleep Health: A Proposal to the Northern Territory Government and the Commonwealth, May 2008
- COPD: Knocking the Wind out of Over One Million Australians – A funding submission to the Commonwealth Government, November 2007
- The Australian Lung Foundation submission to the Inquiry in Health Funding July 2006
