(Ottawa) - In response to the federal budget announcement the Canadian Lung Association (CLA) today called for renewed federal investment in initiatives that are critical to improving the respiratory health of Canadians.
CLA highlighted the importance of continued funding for the National Lung Health Framework, a highly successful partnership responsible for developing Canada's first comprehensive action plan on respiratory health. The future of investment in this key initiative was not made clear in the Budget. CLA also expressed support for renewed funding for the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy, which is due to expire on March 31st.
"We are asking the federal government to renew support for the National Lung Health Framework to reduce the high health and economic cost of respiratory illness," said Mary-Pat Shaw, CLA's Acting President and CEO. "Continued action on lung disease will help us all by keeping Canadians at work and in school - and out of emergency rooms and hospital beds."
The Canadian Lung Association is concerned about the future of the Framework, an effective collaboration between the federal and provincial governments and the broad community of patients, health professionals, non-profit organizations, and others engaged in fighting lung disease. Renewed funding for the Framework would ensure continued action across the country to reduce the heavy burden of asthma, COPD, lung cancer, sleep apnea and other lung diseases, which currently affect 6 million Canadians. The federal government has supported the development of Framework since 2007 with $10 million in funding over the past three years.
The Conference Board of Canada, in a report released earlier this month, documented the current high health and economic cost of three major lung diseases - asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer - setting their annual cost at $12 billion a year.1 Without additional action to reduce levels of disease, these costs are projected to double within 20 years. However, with concerted efforts directed at reducing the impact of key risk factors - especially smoking and outdoor and indoor air quality - the Conference Board's analysis indicates that rates of disease and their costs can be reduced very substantially.2
Renewed federal investment in the National Lung Health Framework would support critical work to address the major risk factors, raising awareness among health professionals and the public to reduce the destructive effects of smoking and poor air quality. Targeted initiatives under the Framework would also help to reduce current high levels of undiagnosed disease - 50% for COPD3 and 85% for sleep apnea4 - and extend best practices in disease management across the country.
The Canadian Lung Association is also seeking renewed federal funding for the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS), which is vital for sustaining national efforts to further reduce Canada's smoking rates and prevent the emergence of future generations of smokers. Excellent progress has been made to date under the Federal Strategy, reducing smoking rates from 24% in 2000 to 17% in 2010.5 But there is still much more work to be done.
"Five million Canadians still smoke, including far too many of our youth," notes Ms. Shaw, "and 50% of long-term daily smokers will die of smoking-related disease.6 This epidemic must be stemmed through innovative efforts to reduce the attraction of smoking to young people and help current smokers quit."
The Canadian Lung Association looks forward to the renewal of the initiatives that are critical to the respiratory health of Canadians and to continued close work with the federal government, building on these productive partnerships.
About The Canadian Lung Association
Established in 1900, The Canadian Lung Association is one of Canada's oldest and most respected health charities, and the leading national organization for science-based information, research, education, support programs, and advocacy on lung health issues.
For further information please contact:
Christopher Wilson
Director of Public Affairs and Advocacy
Canadian Lung Association
cwilson@lung.ca
(613) 298-5464
