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COPD/Alpha-1 Education Day in Boston on November 4, 2006
Daylong Program on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Can Help Patients Manage Debilitating Conditions
MIAMI, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/—Patients and medical professionals are invited to a free COPD/Alpha-1 Education Day hosted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital on Saturday, November 4, 2006 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Bedford Glen Hotel, located at 44 Middlesex Turnpike in Bedford, Massachusetts. November is COPD Awareness month.
Conference participants will learn about new developments in the treatment of COPD/Alpha-1 and the importance of early detection, and the uses of pulmonary rehabilitation in the treatment of both. They will have the opportunity to participate in question-and-answer sessions led by world- renowned experts, including Edwin Silverman, M.D., Ph.D. of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an umbrella term used to describe progressive lung diseases that affect approximately 10 million Americans. COPD encompasses such conditions as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and refractory asthma. An additional 14 million Americans are estimated to suffer from undiagnosed or developing COPD, which is the only one of the five leading causes of death that is on the rise. Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1), an inherited disorder that is frequently called “genetic emphysema,” can result in life-threatening lung disease in adults and liver disease in adults and children.
Admission and all activities, including breakfast and lunch, are free. Medical professionals and patients are encouraged to attend. Respiratory therapists who complete the course will be eligible for five Continuing Respiratory Care Education credits approved by the American Association for Respiratory Care.
The Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which is part of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Clinical Resource Network, is a premier treatment center for lung diseases. The Boston COPD/Alpha-1 Education Day is co-hosted by the Alpha-1 Foundation, Alpha-1 Association, COPD Foundation and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Unrestricted educational grants have been provided by AlphaNet, Boehringer Ingelheim & Pfizer, Centric Health Resources and Talecris Biotherapeutics. Series Exhibitors include Accredo Therapeutics and Baxter Healthcare Corporation. Supplemental oxygen will be provided by Apria Healthcare. (Patients must bring their prescription.)
The general public interested in attending should contact Linda Rodriguez, Information and Referral Coordinator for the Alpha-1 Foundation, at 1 (888) 825-7421, ext. 217. Media interested in physician or patient interviews should contact Hilda S. Mitrani at 1-(888)-825-7421, ext. 203.
MORE FACTS ABOUT COPD/ALPHA-1
- As many as 3% of all people diagnosed with COPD may have Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1).
- On average, it takes seven years and three doctors for an Alpha-1 patient to get an accurate diagnosis.
- In 2002, 120,000 deaths and more then 726,000 hospitalizations were due to COPD. This disease, though quite common, is widely misunderstood.
About the Alpha-1 Association: The mission of the Alpha-1 Association is to identify those affected by Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1) and to improve the quality of their lives through support, education, advocacy, and research. For more information, please visit: http://www.alpha1.org.
About the Alpha-1 Foundation: The mission of the Alpha-1 Foundation is to provide the leadership and resources that will result in increased research, improved health, worldwide detection, and a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency. For more information, please visit: http://www.alphaone.org.
About the COPD Foundation The mission of the COPD Foundation is to develop and support programs that improve the quality of life for persons whose lives are impacted by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through research, education, public awareness, early diagnosis and enhanced therapy. For more information, please visit: http://www.copdfoundation.org.
SOURCE Alpha-1 Foundation
