Making a Difference in the Lives of People Living with COPD

By Greg Besase, Head of U.S. Respiratory, Viatris

November 2024

More than 12.5 million people in the US currently live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and many more remain undiagnosed or at risk of developing this chronic condition. This November during COPD Awareness Month, and throughout the year, Viatris is proud to support people living with COPD and those who care for them as a cornerstone of our mission to empower people worldwide to live healthier at every of life.

Viatris provides access to an extensive and growing portfolio of vital medicines that help support patients in their ongoing management of COPD, regardless of geography or circumstance. And we don’t stop there. Our support extends to our engagement with the COPD community to make a difference in the lives of people living with this condition and those who care for them.

We are honored to be a partner and supporter of the tireless and important work of leading COPD advocacy organizations including COPD Foundation, American Lung Association, CHEST Foundation, and others.

Here are just a few examples of how we partner with the COPD advocacy community to educate and raise awareness of one of the most common chronic lung conditions in the US.

  • Viatris is proud to be among this year’s sponsors of the COPD Foundation’s Lace up for Lungs campaign, which is instrumental in advancing the organization’s mission to help millions of people live longer and healthier lives by advancing research, advocacy, and awareness to stop COPD and related lung diseases.
  • For years, Viatris has supported IMPACT COPD, where patient advocates meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to share their stories and speak about the importance of increased research funding and access to pulmonary rehabilitation and medically appropriate oxygen.
  • Our commitment to patient, caregiver and provider education also extends to partnering with leading advocates on several impactful programs:
    • We are working with the COPD Foundation to develop educational resources for patients, caregivers and providers:
      • The COPD Foundation 101 Library was designed to provide clinicians the most up-to-date, evidence-based materials on various aspects of COPD and care delivery, as well as a patient-focused educational campaign on medication adherence.
      • The Not Only When Needed (NOWN) Initiative is a campaign to educate patients and caregivers about maintenance medications and reinforce optimal use of maintenance medications.
      • Right COPD Treatment, Right Time educates and informs health care providers about the importance of evaluating a patient’s affinity for inhaler devices and prescribing medications via nebulizer when appropriate.
    • In partnership with CHEST Foundation, we supported an education campaign to establish trust with patients titled "The First Five Minutes." This program focuses on improving clinician and patient partnership for more effective communication and interactions during patient visits.
    • We are partnering with the Allergy & Asthma Network on their English and Spanish COPD Virtual Conference Series—a program to educate Black and Hispanic communities about COPD and engage patients and caregivers in research.
    • We are supporting the American Lung Association and COPD Foundation in the development of patient-facing instructional videos that demonstrate proper use of maintenance therapy devices as well as how to clean those devices.

We will continue to work shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners in the COPD community and strive to go above and beyond in tailoring our treatment portfolio to better meet the needs of patients and help them along their care journey.