The Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc., (MCAN), is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization established to address the complex and growing problem of pediatric asthma.
MCAN is funded by the Merck Company Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck & Co., Inc. The mission of the Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc. is to support and advance evidence-based programs that improve the quality of life for children with asthma and their families and to reduce through dissemination of effective interventions the burden of the disease on them and society.
The proceedings summarize the presentations, discussion and recommendations of childhood asthma experts and thought leaders convened by MCAN to tackle the unacceptable gap between what we know about effective management and actual practice. The conference culminated with an urgent call on the nation to address the leading chronic disease among America’s children – childhood asthma -- as a national health priority.
Obviously, the task is too big for any one organization, institution or agency -- public or private -- to accomplish alone. Therefore, I hope the findings and recommendations offered will serve to galvanize action on the part of all asthma and child health stakeholders -- from discovery to prevention, control and effective management.For our part, MCAN initiatives include:
Supporting evidence-based childhood asthma implementation research through MCAN program sites in Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and Puerto Rico;
Promoting the diffusion of the NAEPP EPR 3 Asthma Clinical Guidelines through a partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics;
Report Uncovers New and Missed Opportunities To Improve The Management of Asthma, Most Common Chronic Disease Among U.S. Children
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 3, 2009 – Many parents of the 9.6 million children who have been diagnosed with asthma in the United States may be surprised to learn that their child’s asthma is not being managed in ways that meet standard medical guidelines developed more than fifteen years ago and updated in 2007.
"The State of Childhood Asthma,” a supplement to the March 2009 issue of Pediatrics, featuring articles from a cross-disciplinary field of experts in children’s health, asthma and public policy, found that two out of three children with moderate or severe asthma did not receive adequate or recommended treatment.
MCAN Partners with the American Academy of Pediatrics on Implementation of NAEPP EPR-3 Asthma Guidelines
The Merck Childhood Asthma Network and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) are partnering on the Comprehensive Asthma Project to improve the care of pediatric asthma patients by facilitating the implementation of the 2007 NAEPP Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma within the context of pediatric medical homes.
In the first phase of this partnership, selected AAP chapters will engage in a pilot project and serve as the locus of a learning collaborative to measurably improve the care for children with asthma by helping pediatric practices adopt evidence-based guidelines. The phase one project will apply to the American Board of Pediatrics to become a part IV approved activity for improving performance in practice for maintenance of board certification. MCAN is proud to partner with AAP in this important effort to enhance quality care for children with asthma.
The National Assembly on School-Based Health Care and MCAN present"Childhood Asthma: Guidelines and Evidence-Based Interventions"
The National Assembly on School-Based Health Care offers a variety of technical assistance and training resources to school-linked and school-based health center (SBHC) professionals, SBHC sponsoring organizations and state associations. MCAN Executive Director, Dr. Floyd Malveaux presented information on the new asthma guidelines and managing asthma in children during an interactive web conference to this group.
MCAN is funded by the Merck Company Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck & Co., Inc. The mission of the Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc. is to support and advance evidence-based programs that improve the quality of life for children with asthma and their families and to reduce through dissemination of effective interventions the burden of the disease on them and society.
I am pleased to announce that the edited proceedings of the conference, 
