Declare COPD Awareness Month

Senate Resolution No. 30 BY: Senator SEWARD MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim November 2017 as COPD Awareness Month in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official months that are set aside to increase awareness of serious illnesses that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a term used to describe airflow obstruction that is associated mainly with emphysema and chronic bronchitis; and WHEREAS, There are indications that COPD is being underdiagnosed as an estimated 24 million people have evidence of impaired lung function, and COPD kills more than 120,000 Americans every year; on average, one person dies from COPD every 4 minutes; and WHEREAS, In 2010, the National Center for Health Statistics released a report stating that in 2008 COPD became the third leading cause of death in the United States; and WHEREAS, Pulmonary experts predict that, by the year 2020, COPD will become the third leading cause of death worldwide; and WHEREAS, Currently, COPD accounts for 1.5 million emergency room visits, 715,000 hospitalizations, and 8 million physician office and hospital outpatient visits, all of which are a detriment to the U.S. economy; COPD costs the nation an estimated $49.9 billion in direct and indirect medical costs annually; and WHEREAS, Smoking is the primary risk factor for COPD; approximately

85 to 90 percent of COPD deaths are caused by smoking; and WHEREAS, COPD affects almost 650,000 citizens of the State of New York; and WHEREAS, Coordinated community efforts, such as the New York COPD Coalition, a public-private partnership of individuals and organizations that created the New York COPD Action Plan, can result in dramatic improvements to public health and reduced healthcare costs; and WHEREAS, Research has identified a hereditary protein deficiency called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin; people with this deficiency tend to develop COPD, even without exposure to smoking or environmental triggers; and WHEREAS, There is currently no cure for COPD; spirometry testing and medical treatments exist to address symptom relief and possibly slow the progression of the disease; and WHEREAS, Until there is a cure, the best approaches to preventing COPD and its considerable health, societal, and mortality impacts lie with education, awareness, and expanded delivery of detection and management protocols; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim November 2017 as COPD Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.