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REMARKS BY: DONNA E. SHALALA, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
PLACE: ASTHMA EVENT WITH THE FIRST LADY, CHILDREN'S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, WASHINGTON, DC
DATE: MAY 21, 1998

Mrs. Clinton, Administrator Browner, Dr. Zechman, Dr. Ford and our most distinguished guests - Elmo and his pals.

People my age remember when we were the age of the children in this great hospital. We also remember our childhood friends who sometimes had to stand on the sidelines while the rest of us played sports. Who often missed school because they were sick. Who, without warning, were suddenly gasping for air. These children had the chronic lung disease, asthma.

They might have been our neighbors. Even our brothers and sisters. Asthma limited their lives every bit as much as it limited their breathing. I had friends with asthma. But if I was back in school today, chances are I'd have even more. That's because the problem of asthma is growing worse. Dramatically worse.

More than 15 million Americans have asthma, including 5 million under the age of 18. The cost of treating asthma now exceeds $6 billion dollars a year. For children, the news is especially frightening. Between 1980 and 1994 the percentage of pre-school age children with this disease increased 160 percent. Children with asthma miss, on average, twice as many school days as other children.

Asthma poses an enormous public health challenge - and we're all working on it together -- the National Institutes of Health, the CDC, the FDA, and other HHS agencies - along with the American Lung Association, Public Television and other private organizations. The federal money we're devoting to fighting asthma will surpass the $100 million dollar mark this year for the first time - up nearly 70 percent from 1993.

But fighting asthma is not just about money. We need a broad strategy of research, education and prevention to manage this disease and unlock its secrets. That's why we're supporting asthma researchers; conducting research that can lead to the development of new drugs; and carrying out clinical studies that focus on prevention and treatment. We have the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program to raise awareness about asthma - and to disseminate lifesaving information to help families and health care workers recognize and control asthma.

We're emphasizing access to care - pulling together schools, health clinics, day care centers and parents - to make sure that when asthma strikes, the entire community is ready and able to strike back. But we still have our basic questions about asthma. And to help answer those questions, the National Institutes of Health will award new grants later this summer. They'll examine how is asthma triggered? What role do respiratory infections play in the development of childhood asthma? And how can it be prevented? We are also working in very close collaboration with other federal agencies.

As we attack asthma, we cannot ignore the greatest threat to children's lungs today -- the threat of tobacco. We know that children of smokers are more prone to develop asthma because exposure to environmental tobacco smoke can increase sensitivity to allergens. And we know that 3000 children become smokers every day -- and 1000 will die prematurely from smoking-related illness.

Fortunately, we also have a President who is determined to protect our children from tobacco. And the President will not let Congress off the hook. The President will continue to challenge Congress to pass comprehensive tobacco legislation before going home this session. Until Congress passes comprehensive tobacco legislation -- it's going to be a long, hot summer.

Now, I'm pleased to introduce my co-chair of the President's Task Force on Environmental Health and Safety Risks to Children - which is targeting asthma, Carol Browner.