Bulletin Board Archive
Bulletin Board
November 30, 2023
Lynda Mitchell Profiled on Healio!
The new Allergy & Asthma Network CEO discussed her 30+ years of advocating for and advancing patient care. She is focused on connecting with under-resourced communities and building partnerships to improve patient education and access to care. “The future is really bright,” she says. “We just have to keep our eyes on meeting peoples’ needs.”
Where is Trusted Messengers?
Our Trusted Messengers community outreach continued on Oct. 7 in Los Angeles at the Black Health Matters Fall 2023 Health Summit & Expo. Leandra Tonweber, PA-C, and Laonis Quinn, RN, AE-C, conducted asthma control screenings at the event. People with asthma were invited to enroll in a free 6-week virtual asthma coaching program.
2023 USAsthma Summit
Every year, Allergy & Asthma Network and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology host the USAsthma Summit. This year it is Friday, Nov. 10 in Anaheim, California. The Summit is an engaging, interactive one-day event. It is free to attend. The Summit is an in-person event and available via livestream.
Bulletin Board
October 26, 2023
AAN On NBC Nightly News
Allergy & Asthma Network national spokesperson Purvi Parikh, MD was featured on the NBC Nightly News broadcast and NBC News online in an article “What decongestants work? Here are some alternatives to phenylephrine.” Dr. Parikh speaks to local and national media outlets daily in response to breaking news and ongoing trends in allergy and asthma care.
Improving Health Equity
CEO Lynda Mitchell recently joined a panel discussion sponsored by Sanofi for its Health Equity Acceleration Community of Practice webinar series. Lynda explained how Allergy & Asthma Network’s Trusted Messengers program has evolved to address the specific needs of under-resourced communities and expand diversity in patient advisory groups.
Wisconsin Advocacy Success
Director of Advocacy Charmayne Anderson played a key role in rallying support for an updated Wisconsin law to expand the availability of epinephrine in schools and other public spaces. The measure emphasizes the need for stock epinephrine to reflect all FDA-approved methods to treat anaphylaxis. The law can serve as a model for other states.
Bulletin Board
September 25, 2023
Leadership in Respiratory Care
Dr. De De Gardner, Allergy & Asthma Network Chief Research Officer, has been recognized by the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) as a Distinguished CHEST Educator. The national recognition honors De De for excellence in continuing medical education. It places her within the top 4% of CHEST faculty worldwide and recognizes her significant and long-term contributions to the leadership, development and delivery of patient education. De De will be honored at the CHEST Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii in October.
Trusted Messengers is Back
Allergy & Asthma Network’s Trusted Messengers Community Outreach Program began its fourth year of asthma screenings in under-resourced communities on Aug. 5 at Ebenezer Baptist Church’s Back to School event in Atlanta. On Aug. 17, Trusted Messengers traveled to New York City to host more asthma screenings and distribute health education at the Black Health Matters Harlem Days Summit. People with asthma were invited to enroll in a free 6-week virtual asthma coaching program.
‘A Blessing for the Asthma Community’
Laonis Quinn, RN, who serves on Allergy & Asthma Network’s Board of Directors, recently sat down for an interview with BlackDoctor.org at the National Medical Association annual meeting in August. Laonis shared her story about the loss of her son to asthma and how she turned tragedy into helping others through the Breathe Anthony J. Chapman Foundation.
Bulletin Board
August 23, 2023
Introducing a New Podcast Series
Allergy & Asthma Network has launched a new podcast series, Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Innovations. It kicks off with a look at “Biologic Therapies for Asthma.” We are thrilled to once again partner with The Itch Podcast and hosts Kortney Kwong Hing and Payel Gupta, MD. Together they review each of the biologic medications available and the types of severe asthma they treat.
Support for New Jersey Inhaler, Epi Law
In an interview on Healio, Director of Advocacy Charmayne Anderson offered insight on New Jersey legislation that puts monthly caps on epinephrine auto-injectors at $25 and asthma inhalers at $50 for health insurance plans in the state. “Patients should not have to choose between life or death when determining if they can afford the medication that will save their lives,” Charmayne said.
Red Meat Allergy Patient Education
Allergy & Asthma Network recently updated its red meat allergy-alpha gal syndrome page with the latest info on this tick-related disease. In an interview with CBS New York Online, Allergy & Asthma Network Spokesperson Purvi Parikh, MD also discussed red meat allergy, its symptoms, and how cases continue to spread in the United States.
Bulletin Board
July 25, 2023
‘Is Your Asthma Under Control?’ Campaign
Allergy & Asthma Network has launched a year-long education and awareness campaign on the importance of asthma control to improve respiratory health and quality of life. The multi-channel campaign aims to empower patients to work with their healthcare provider to better control asthma, and to consult an asthma specialist if symptoms worsen.
Advocating for Epinephrine on Airlines
Interim CEO Lynda Mitchell and Director of Advocacy Charmayne Anderson sent a letter to the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure urging support for legislation to update and maintain emergency medical kits on airlines. This would include epinephrine products to treat life-threatening allergic reactions during flights.
Expanding Access to Biologic Meds
Allergy & Asthma Network provided patient insights to the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) on insurance barriers some patients experience regarding access to their prescribed asthma biologic medications. Interim CEO Lynda Mitchell noted that patients are experiencing insurance denials and step therapy requirements that delay or deny access to many people in need of these FDA-approved medications. ICER will publish its 2023 Fair Access Report later this year. It will include insight on patient experiences.
Bulletin Board
June 27, 2023
AAN In ‘USA Today’ Supplement
An Allergy & Asthma Network article by interim CEO Lynda Mitchell is featured in a special USA Today supplement via Mediaplanet’s Better Breathing campaign. “Is Your Asthma Under Control” offers tips and info on how to identify uncontrolled asthma, how to avoid triggers, what advanced asthma treatments are available, and when it’s time to see a specialist.
The Patient Voice In Asthma Care
Congratulations to our own De De Gardner, Chief Research Officer – she has been named to the National Asthma Education Prevention Program (NAEPP) Coordinating Committee! The committee is a forum that raises awareness and provides key input to National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) updates for asthma management and treatment guidelines.
Advocacy in Action at AADCH
More than 100 advocates joined us for Allergy & Asthma Day Capitol Hill on May 3 in Washington, DC! All together, they visited 90+ U.S. House and Senate offices, urging Congress to support legislation affecting people with asthma and allergies. We also had a record day in virtual advocacy: 1,500 advocates sent 3,500 emails to Congress as part of AADCH.
Bulletin Board
May 31, 2023
Pregnancy & Allergy Meds
Allergist Purvi Parikh, MD, national spokesperson for Allergy & Asthma Network, was recently quoted in a Romper.com article on whether fluticasone nasal sprays are safe for allergy treatment during pregnancy. The risk to the unborn baby is “fairly low as very little [medication] is absorbed systemically,” Dr. Parikh says.
Industry Partnership
Allergy & Asthma Network is joining the Patient Advocacy Leaders and Drug Development Industry Network (PALADIN), a research and development consortium that works together to speed up the pace of new medication development, including improving awareness of and diversity in clinical trials.
Representing the Patient Voice
Allergy & Asthma Network is invited to speak at the FDA’s Pulmonary-Allergy Drugs Advisory Committee Meeting on May 11. The committee is meeting to consider a needle-free epinephrine nasal spray for treatment of a severe allergic reaction, or anaphylaxis. The device is expected to be easier to carry and use than auto-injectors.
Bulletin Board
May 8, 2023
‘Forbes Health’ Spotlight
Allergist Purvi Parikh, MD, national spokesperson for Allergy & Asthma Network, was quoted recently in a Forbes Health article on the use of over-the-counter antihistamines for anaphylactic food allergy reactions. “Antihistamines should only be used as an add-on therapy to epinephrine,” she says.
Advocacy in Action
Allergy & Asthma Network recently joined with 65 other organizations to send a letter to the U.S. House and Senate Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies advocating for $4.273 billion in NIH funding for continued asthma research and the COPD National Action Plan.
Thought Leadership
In a recent Healio article, Social Media and Digital Projects Manager Tori Martel shared her perspective on patient education and readability of asthma websites. Too many websites use medical jargon and come in above the recommended sixth-grade reading level, she says.
Bulletin Board
April 24, 2023
‘Today Show’ Spotlight
Allergy & Asthma Network spokesperson Purvi Parikh, MD, joined the NBC Today Show to talk about how to prepare for spring allergy season. Dr. Parikh also discussed why spring allergies are growing more intense each year.
Engagement in Research
The Research Involvement and Engagement medical journal published our article spotlighting the Black People Like Me virtual conference series. The series engaged under-resourced communities in asthma and COVID-19 patient-centered research.
Representing the Patient Voice
Congratulations to our own De De Gardner, Director of Research and Evaluation! De De is a newly appointed member of the American Thoracic Society’s Public Advisory Roundtable (PAR) starting in June 2023. PAR advances patient care, education, research and advocacy.
Bulletin Board
March 22, 2023
New Content on Chronic Hives
Allergy & Asthma Network recently published the Chronic Urticaria Toolkit. This toolkit is jam-packed with practical, medically accurate information on different kinds of hives, causes and treatment. It includes videos and a companion download (coming soon).
Food Allergy Advocacy for Babies
Allergy & Asthma Network recently submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support early introduction of peanut products in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages.
Research Presentations
AAN presented posters at the AAAAI Annual Meeting in February. Topics included engaging the Hispanic community in research, asthma info on TikTok, uncontrolled asthma and nighttime cough, and a study about the monitoring of nighttime breath sounds.
