The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America focuses relentlessly on saving and improving the lives of people with asthma and allergies.

The dedication of our team, supporters, and community partners helped us achieve significant milestones this year. Your support transformed lives. From award-winning awareness and advocacy campaigns to life-changing support and education programs, some of our top accomplishments include:

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IMPROVING ACCESS AND AFFORDABILITY TO ASTHMA AND ALLERGY CARE

The complex drug pricing ecosystem in the U.S. can block access to affordable asthma medicines – particularly for the people who need them most. With your support, we led a national conversation about the importance of access to affordable life-saving asthma medications. Our advocacy helped pave the way toward lower costs for essential asthma medicines when three major inhaler manufacturers announced $35-a-month price caps earlier this year.

AAFA’s leadership in this space earned recognition from the Biden Administration. We were the only asthma and allergy patient advocacy organization in attendance for a White House briefing on the high cost of asthma inhalers.

EMPOWERING PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH THROUGH AAFA’S HEAL PROGRAM

Thanks to AAFA’s Health Equity Advancement and Leadership (HEAL) program, over 250 people are managing their asthma better. HEAL serves communities with the greatest asthma burden to provide:

• Asthma self-management resources
• Home assessments to identify asthma and allergy triggers
• And additional support services

One HEAL participant shares: “I would encourage anyone with asthma to get involved. The resources and community support have changed my life.”

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PROVIDING TOOLS TO HELP PEOPLE TAKE CHARGE OF THEIR HEALTH

AAFA expanded educational programs and tools to increase understanding of asthma and allergies and how to manage these conditions. In 2024, AAFA launched a new podcast, aired several public service announcements, and expanded our educational programming:

1. The AAFAnoon Chats podcast discussed news, research, and other information to help our community manage asthma and allergies. So far, our four episodes have reached over 13,500 people.
2. AAFA effectively raised public awareness about asthma and allergic diseases through a series of public service announcements and outreach to the media.
   • Our national TV PSAs focused on asthma in childhood, pregnancy and asthma, and asthma peak month. Each of these PSAs reached 180 million households.
   • AAFA’s President and CEO Kenneth Mendez was featured on a radio and TV tour in September to raise awareness about “asthma peak month,” when many conditions combine to worsen asthma symptoms. The pieces were featured in 8 of the top 20 Asthma Capitals and reached 89 million people – four times the reach of our 2023 media tour.
3. AAFA offered several educational programs on asthma, food allergies, eosinophilic esophagitis, atopic dermatitis, chronic spontaneous urticaria, and nasal polyps. This means we can help more people than ever become knowledgeable on how to manage asthma and allergic diseases.
   • Over 6,000 people attended our educational programs for people who live with or manage these chronic conditions. 
   • Over 7,500 health care professionals attended our continuing education programs on treating asthma and allergic conditions. 
     
     

AAFA provided personalized support to help people in the everyday management of asthma and allergies by providing resources and support to over 55,000 people on our two online support communities. AAFA also responded to 1,228 inquiries submitted to AAFA’s Support Center and 268 questions submitted to AAFA’s Ask the Allergist service.

ELEVATING PATIENT VOICES IN RESEARCH

Throughout 2024, we strengthened connections between patients and groundbreaking research opportunities, ensuring their voices and needs remain central to innovation. In 2024, AAFA:

• Helped recruit for 23 different research studies and clinical trials
• Published 6 manuscripts in medical journals
• Presented 7 posters at medical conferences

AAFA released reports to help raise awareness on important topics that impact asthma and allergy management. Major publications included:

• 2024 Allergy Capitals report detailed the most challenging cities in the U.S. for living with allergies and provided insight into the factors impacting seasonal allergies. This report includes information on seasonal allergy management and suggests ways policymakers can work to improve public health. The 2024 report also calls attention to the urgency of the climate crisis, which is making allergy seasons longer and more intense.
  
  

• The Asthma Capitals report consistently delivers as one of our higher-performing reports. This report represents a key element of our broader Asthma Peak Month Awareness activities. Asthma Capitals-related media coverage had a potential viewership of 499 million views. 
• Life with Nasal Polyps report documents the patients' journey with nasal polyps and health care providers’ awareness of and practices around this rare but increasing condition.
  
  

EDUCATION ON INDOOR AIR QUALITY

AAFA supports clean, safe air for everyone and urges the adoption of strong standards and enforcement of these standards to reduce the emission of harmful air pollutants that impact climate change. In 2024, we advocated for reduced emissions from cars and trucks. We also pushed for better indoor air quality in schools where asthma is a top reason for student absenteeism.

Kenneth Mendez appeared on an episode of George to the Rescue, which educated families on indoor air quality and the importance of having a healthy living space, especially when you have asthma and allergies.

AAFA’s Certification Program provided essential expertise on indoor air quality and air filtration to leaders across the globe.

CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® products donated to HEAL program participants included:

• Rabbit Air® donated 19 air cleaners
• Renegade donated 54 bottles of Sweat X Sport Free and Clear laundry detergent