COPD getting more attention from big pharma

LJs,

I'm new to woodworking, and over the last six months I've read with great concern that some LJs have developed COPD after years of exposure to sawdust. I just wanted to let folks know that Novartis, a top 10 in the world pharmaceutical company based out of Basel, Switzerland, issued a press release recently talking about COPD and underlying their renewed focus on the condition. I was shocked to hear that the WHO is projecting COPD to be the third largest cause of death by 2020, yikes. Most of that is due to smoking, but I know it's a real hazard for woodworkers, so I wanted to call folks attention to the article.

It's great news that Novartis is paying attention to the condition - it means that better treatments are on their way (the article indicates that they've made great strides recently with treatment). Novartis alone takes in about $60 billion in revenue each year and today is worth $217 billion (market cap). It's a good thing that they're pointing some of that money towards COPD treatment.

http://www.novartis.com/newsroom/feature-stories/2013/07/misconceptions-about-copd.shtml

All the best,
-Marshall