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.