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CHICAGO — GSK Consumer Healthcare and CVS Health have partnered with American Lung Association’s Lung Force initiative to help people quit smoking.
The American Lung Association said that GSK Consumer Healthcare will donate $1 to Lung Force for every box of Nicorette or NicoDerm CQ purchased at CVS Pharmacy through Dec. 2, up to $100,000. Besides promoting smoking cessation, the program aims to raise awareness about lung cancer during November’s Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
All donations will support Lung Force’s investment in lung cancer research and patient education, including lung cancer prevention, early detection, tumor testing and advocacy for more federal research funding. CVS is the national sponsor of Lung Force.
Statistics show that assistance such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can be effective in helping smokers quit, according to the studies cited by the American Lung Association.
Of the more than 36.5 million smokers in the United States, nearly 70% want to quit, the association reported. However, just bout 3-5% of smokers who attempt to quit cold turkey are successful.[2] In fact, studies show that when combined with behavioral support, using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can double your chances of quitting smoking successfully.[3]
Also in recognition of Lung Cancer Awareness Month, the American Lung Association released findings from its fourth annual Lung Health Barometer, which revealed critically low awareness of the lifesaving potential of lung cancer screening. The survey, which polled 1,400 men and women, including high-risk current and former smokers, aims to provide a better understanding what Americans know about lung cancer and lung cancer screening.
For the general population, the survey found that only 3% of women cite lung cancer as a chief health concern, even though one woman is diagnosed with lung cancer every five minutes in the United States. Eighty-seven percent of the population isn’t familiar with the low-dose CT scan, which the association noted is the only approved lung cancer screening for early detection. At the same time, 62% believe that not enough is being done to heighten awareness of lung cancer.
The American Lung Association recently partnered with the Ad Council to launch “Saved By The Scan,” the first national public service advertising campaign to educate Americans on the benefits of early detection through lung cancer. The low-dose CT scan reduces the risk of death from lung cancer by detecting lung cancer in the early stages, before symptoms arise, when the disease is more curable.
