Noteboom The Law Firm

VA Stops COPD Study

March 30, 2011 - The BREATH (Bronchitis and Emphysema Advice and Training to Reduce Hospitalizations) trials included people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was running the trials as part of an experimental disease management program, but unfortunately multiple participants' deaths ended the program. News of the program ending however, never left the VA's walls.

Researchers were attempting to discover if intensely educating COPD patients and providing personalized management for their needs would result in both decreased time spent in hospitals and fewer readmissions. At the time the VA stopped the study, it was about 2 years into a 4-year time frame. Researchers had only recruited half the number of participants they anticipated using and made no public announcement that the trials were halted.

The results researchers did produce after running the study for 2 years were limited but fairly important. Those patients with COPD who were allocated comprehensive case management as well as their standard care had "higher all-cause mortality" and other risk factors.

Started as a pilot program, the study quickly grew to cover 22 sites within 2 years. The final results of the study have yet to be released, and until they are, the VA will not comment on their "results of research studies" before they're published.