Advocating for Patients

Update: It's official! On Jan. 5, 2021, the president signed the School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act into law. Thank you to our community. Your efforts helped to get this bill signed into law, which will help thousands of students with asthma and allergies and their families nationwide. AAFA Celebrates Major Advocacy Win! Congress Passes School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act, H.R. 2468 Law gives greater protections and resources to students with asthma...

On Dec. 3, 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced updates to the clinical guidelines used to diagnose and manage asthma. The new guidelines are titled "The 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines: A Report from The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Expert Panel Working Group." The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the NIH, oversaw the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Coordinating Committee (NAEPPCC) and...

On Jan. 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released proposed rules on animals on planes. If they finalize these rules, airlines would no longer be forced to recognize emotional support animals as service animals and may treat them as pets.

On Sept. 16, 2020, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) released our Asthma Disparities in America report. This report looks at how asthma affects Black, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native groups in the United States. After coming across this report, Valerie Vison reached out to share her story. In the essay below, you’ll hear from Valerie, who lost her husband, Jordan, to asthma on July 22. In a World of “What If” – Could Racial Bias Have Contributed to My 30-Year-Old...

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America report on Asthma Disparities in America looks at the burden of asthma on racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Health disparities are preventable health differences between groups of people. Health disparities are higher burdens of illness or death linked to social, economic, and environmental disadvantages. For example, if one group of people has a higher rate of asthma than another group of people, it is an asthma disparity. This month is...

The countdown to Inauguration Day has begun. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has joined 32 patient groups to represent millions of people with pre-existing conditions. We are urging lawmakers to spend their first 100 days in office working to make sure people have access to high-quality, affordable health coverage. “ The 100 Days Agenda: A Patient-First Blueprint ” outlines specific steps the president and other elected officials can take to protect patients. The first...

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is spearheading yet another new venture geared toward improving health outcomes for our nation’s most at-risk groups affected by asthma. These groups include Black, Hispanic and Indigenous Americans, senior adults, expectant mothers, children with asthma, and our nation’s military who have developed asthma while in service.

Update: It's official! On Jan. 5, 2021, the president signed the School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act into law. Thank you to our community. Your efforts helped to get this bill signed into law, which will help thousands of students with asthma and allergies and their families nationwide. On Sept. 29, 2020, the House of Representatives passed the School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act (H.R. 2468) . If passed by the Senate and signed into law by the...

Black, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native people have the highest rates of asthma , hospital visits and asthma-related deaths. This has not changed since we first reported on it in 2005. It’s time to take bold steps to reduce disparities in asthma. Asthma Disparities in America Report Today, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) released its Asthma Disparities in America report. This report looks at how asthma affects Black, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native...

Great Strides in July 2020 for People With Asthma and Allergies AAFA has made great strides this month in advocating for policies that protect people with asthma and allergies. The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act (H.R. 2468) and the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act (H.R. 2117) . These have been top priority issues for our organization and we're excited for this progress! UPDATE...

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) conducts and promotes patient-centered research to help you. This means your beliefs, preferences and needs are at the center of our research. Your input drives our advocacy work, guides our education programs and supports our community. Recently, we’ve studied the following topics: Symptoms of anaphylaxis in infants and toddlers Eczema burdens and people’s experiences with treatments Impact of COVID-19 on people with asthma and allergy Air...

U.S. systems have historically failed Black Americans and other marginalized groups. AAFA's goal is to dramatically reduce the burden of asthma and allergies for underserved groups within five years.