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The American Thoracic Society is gravely concerned and disappointed in the FDA’s decision to approve over the counter epinephrine (Primatene Mist HFA) for consumer use to treat asthma. The ATS is a medical professional society dedicated to the prevention, detection, treatment and research of pulmonary disease, critical care illness and sleep disordered breathing. Our members are experts in the diagnosis and management of asthma and have published several clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of asthma. It is with our extensive clinical expertise in the treatment of asthma and our concern for the patients that we oppose the FDA’s decision.

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Babies with cystic fibrosis may breathe better by inhaling hypertonic saline, according to a randomized controlled trial conducted in Germany and published in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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Whether they are smokers or not, people living in poor, rural areas of the United States are more likely to have COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to research published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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The American Thoracic Society and the American Lung Association’s LUNG FORCE initiative have launched a new website and online toolkit to help medical institutions implement and manage a lung cancer screening program.

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How long a person with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) stops breathing may be a better predictor of mortality risk from OSA than the number of times they stop breathing, according to new research published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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Long-term use of benzodiazepine medications in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, as well as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may lead to increased suicide risk, according to a study published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

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A new guideline to help clinicians manage malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) has been developed by the American Thoracic Society, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Society of Thoracic Radiology. The clinical practice guideline is published online in the Oct. 1 American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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A commonly used biomarker of kidney disease may also indicate lung problems, particularly COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to new research published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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Burning wood or coal to cook food is associated with increased risk of hospitalization or dying from respiratory diseases, according to new research conducted in China and published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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The American Thoracic Society (ATS) joins the World Health Organization in calling for robust global political commitments, including funding, to halt the TB pandemic, following the release of the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2018 today. This important report describes in detail the global morbidity and mortality burden of TB and provides critical context for the first-ever United Nations High Level Meeting on Tuberculosis on Sept 26, 2018.

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A new guideline focused on the role of weight management in treating adult obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been published online by the American Thoracic Society in the Sept. 15 American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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Sept. 14, 2018─Patients using inhaled steroids to control asthma and other breathing problems may be at greater risk for developing nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung infections, according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

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Today, the American Thoracic Society joined U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Todd Young (R-IN) and other senators in calling on the Trump administration to show leadership in global TB elimination efforts. Senators Brown and Young sent a bipartisan letter to President Trump urging the Administration to provide robust commitments, including for TB control and research and development programs, during the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis.

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A New York State requirement that all hospitals report compliance with protocols to treat severe sepsis and septic shock appears to improve care and reduce mortality from one of the most common causes of death in those who are critically ill, according to a new study published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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A new international guideline has been developed to help physicians diagnosis idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a rare and often fatal lung disease whose cause is unknown.

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Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) formally released its proposal to replace the Clean Power Plan with the Affordable Clean Energy Rule. When implemented, this rule will essentially keep carbon emissions from power plants constant, by aiming for a trivial 25-year decrease of only 0.7 to 1.5 percent by 2030.

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The number of cases of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) among U.S. coal miners has risen during the past two decades, even as the number of coal miners has declined, according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

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More than 4 in 10 women with asthma may go on to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study conducted in Ontario, Canada, and published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

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On World Lung Cancer Day, the American Thoracic Society, alongside members of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) commemorate and support those impacted by lung cancer. FIRS continues to support the grassroots efforts of the lung cancer community to raise awareness about lung cancer and its global impact, creating an educational movement around the world of understanding about lung cancer risks as well as the importance of early treatment.

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Inhaled vaporized cannabis does not appear to improve or worsen exercise performance and activity-related breathlessness in patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a randomized controlled trial published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

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The American Thoracic Society led 10 medical professional organizations in filing an amicus brief last week regarding the FDA’s failure to apply pre-market review to new tobacco products. The brief was submitted in support of the American Academy of Pediatrics and its co-plaintiffs and outlines the compelling data indicating that the FDA’s failure to act harms children.

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Supplemental oxygen eliminates the rise in morning blood pressure experienced by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients who stop using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the standard treatment for OSA, according to new research published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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An antioxidant-enriched vitamin may decrease respiratory exacerbations in people with cystic fibrosis (CF), according to new research published online in April in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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Higher daily doses of rifampin, a cornerstone of tuberculosis treatment, killed more TB bacteria in sputum cultures, and the higher doses did so without increasing the adverse effects of treatment, according to a randomized controlled trial published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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Administration of nitric oxide gas during and for 24 hours following heart surgery decreased the risk of patients developing acute and chronic kidney problems, a randomized, controlled trial conducted in China found.

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Children living in neighborhoods that are not conducive to walking are more likely to develop asthma and to continue to have this condition through later childhood, according to a new study published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

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Immunosuppressed patients with sepsis appear more likely to die if they are treated in a hospital caring for a relatively small number of these patients, according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

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In a statement published in the European Respiratory Journal, a coalition of respiratory doctors and scientists from six continents have warned of the dangers posed to children and adolescents by electronic cigarettes [1].

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A first-of-its-kind study has found that seniors who are insured by Medicaid are less likely to survive in a nursing home after an ICU stay than seniors covered by Medicare and commercial insurance. The study was presented at the 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

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A new study has found that a common e-cigarette flavoring that has chemical characteristics similar to toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke disrupts an important mechanism of the lungs’ anti-bacterial defense system. The study was presented at the 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

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In a new study, researchers found significant associations between seniors’ long-term exposure to two types of air pollution and hospitalization for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The study was presented at the 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

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A new study demonstrates that awake video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (AVATS) – a minimally invasive procedure that is done under local anesthesia and sedation – is a safe and effective alternative for patients with poor lung function and lung cancer who would normally be precluded from having surgery due to its risks. The study was presented at the 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

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A new study suggests that states that expanded their Medicaid programs under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) saw a decline in ICU utilization among patients hospitalized for conditions for which hospitalizations may have been prevented through early interventions.

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Progressive massive fibrosis (PMF), the most debilitating and deadly form of black lung disease, is increasing among U.S. coal miners despite the implementation of dust controls decades ago, according to new research presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference.

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Administering antibiotics to adults hospitalized with an asthma exacerbation without any documented indication of lung infection appears to lengthen hospital stay, increase cost and result in increased risk for antibiotic-related diarrhea, according to new research presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference.

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Long-term light smokers appear to be at greater risk for lung function decline, emphysema and obstructive lung disease than heavy smokers who quit, according to new research presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference.

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Women who are unable to quit smoking during their pregnancy may reduce the harm smoking does to their baby’s lungs by taking vitamin C, according to a new randomized, controlled trial presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference.

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Palliative care appears to reduce the risk of suicide in veterans diagnosed with advanced stage lung cancer, according to new research presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference.

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Eating a Mediterranean diet may protect people from some of the harm of long-term exposure to air pollution, and reduce their risk of dying from heart attacks, stroke and other causes of death, according to new research presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference.

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A type of flavonoid found in dark-pigmented fruits like red grapes and blueberries may slow the lung function decline that occurs with aging, according to new research presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference.

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A new study demonstrates that a comprehensive and multidisciplinary clinic for low-income and homeless individuals with respiratory disease can decrease no-show rates and provide quality care that is highly satisfying to the individuals treated. The study was presented at the 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

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Patients who receive an opioid for most of their hospital stay and patients who are still taking an opioid within 12 hours of being discharged from the hospital appear more likely to fill a prescription for opioids within 90 days of leaving the hospital, according to new research presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference.

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Exposure to elevated levels of carbon monoxide (CO) in utero increases infants’ risk of poor lung function at one month after birth, according to new research conducted as part of the Ghana Randomized Air Pollution and Health Study (GRAPHS). While household air pollution from solid fuel stoves has previously been associated with child mortality, this is the first study to investigate the association between household air pollution and lung development beginning in utero and to identify the most harmful times during pregnancy for exposure to this pollution. The study was presented at the 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

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long-term study of the health of Canadian children has found that exposure to ozone (O3), a common air pollutant, at birth was associated with an 82 percent increased risk of developing asthma by age three. The study, which was a 10-year follow-up to the 2006 Toronto Child Health Evaluation Questionnaire (T-CHEQ), was presented at the 2018 American Thoracic Society International Conference.

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Patients with prediabetes who also have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may improve their resting heart rate, an important measure of cardiovascular health, by using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to treat their OSA, according to a randomized, controlled trial presented at the ATS 2018 International Conference.

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A drug used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness may not improve driving ability in adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who cannot tolerate standard therapies, according to new research published online in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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In a huge blow to public health, EPA administrator Scott Pruitt announced a new rule that would only allow EPA to consider research studies for which the underlying data are available to the public, thus severely limiting the number of scientific studies that the EPA can use in setting health standards. The new requirements blocking the use of most scientific studies will help big polluters avoid regulations that protect human health.

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The ATS Foundation is pleased to announce its new ATS Foundation/ResMed Research Fellowship in Sleep-disordered Breathing and PAP Therapy. The award will provide funding for two years in the amount of $100,000, provided by ResMed (NYSE: RMD, ASX: RMD), a global leader in connected health with more than 4 million cloud-connected PAP devices monitoring patients every night.

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Even the briefest increase in airborne fine particulate matter PM2.5, pollution-causing particles that are about 3 percent of the diameter of human hair, is associated with the development of acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) in young children, according to newly published research. Increases in PM2.5 levels also led to increased doctor visits for these lung infections.