COLUMBUS, OHIO - The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, an organization consisting of leading experts and organizations in the health care, business, and labor communities that launched nationally in May, opened a chapter in Ohio today during a meeting of the Ohio Advocates for Health Care Access. The PFCD is led by Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, the 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002-2006) and president of Canyon Ranch Institute, and Ken Thorpe, Ph.D., chair of the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and a former White House health policy adviser.

"To understand the true impact of chronic disease, you need to look no further than our own state," said Jack Ford, former mayor of Toledo and member of the Ohio PFCD leadership team. "Each year, chronic diseases shorten the lives of millions of Ohioans, reducing their quality of life and creating a considerable burden for the state economy."

According to the Milken Institute State Chronic Disease Index, there are over 6.7 million cases of seven common chronic diseases (cancers, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, mental disorders, and pulmonary conditions) that were reported in Ohio in 2003. The initial costs of treating these conditions totaled around $13.5 billion in 2003. The economic impact in terms of lost productivity is around $43.4 billion. The total treatment and economic impact in Ohio in 2003 is $56.8 billion.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of every 10 deaths in the U.S. - killing more than 1.7 million Americans every year. Chronic diseases are also the primary driver of health care costs, accounting for more than 75 percent of the $2 trillion spent each year on health care in the United States.

"We have a 'sick care' system, not a health care system in this country. That's why this diverse coalition is sounding the alarm and calling for action," said Carmona at the national launch event in May. "Despite any differences we may have on other issues, we all agree on a single, undeniable fact: 130 million people suffer from chronic diseases in our nation, and costs are skyrocketing because of preventable and poorly managed chronic diseases. We can - and we must - do something to stop it."

In order to bring the issue of chronic disease to the forefront of the national dialogue on health care, the PFCD is modeling its outreach strategy and tactics after a modern-day presidential campaign. The launches of state-based PFCD campaigns will jump-start the PFCD's grassroots campaign, which includes voter and candidate education and media outreach. While the initial phase of the campaign targeted the early presidential primary states of Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire, the PFCD continues to spread its message through the 2008 presidential election and beyond.

Paid media is a critical part of the PFCD's awareness-building efforts. Print, radio, billboard, and other highly visible outdoor advertisements aim to educate consumers and policymakers on the issue of chronic disease. The ads explicitly ask voters to hold presidential candidates responsible for addressing the issue.

The PFCD also runs an extensive online advertising campaign to drive consumers and policymakers to the coalition's innovative Web site (www.fightchronicdisease.org) where they can:

• Sign a petition to voice support for the fight against chronic disease;
• Learn the appropriate ways to contact policymakers;
• Explore model programs that are successful in fighting chronic disease and improving health in communities across the nation;
• Access recent research conducted by the PFCD and other organizations, as well as fact sheets and toolkits that offer helpful tips on healthy living at home and in the workplace;
• Stay informed with the latest news on chronic disease, health and wellness, and health care policies; and
• Keep tabs on current legislation that may affect the prevention and treatment of chronic disease in the United States.

About the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease
The PFCD is a national coalition of patients, providers, community organizations, business and labor groups, and health policy experts, committed to raising awareness of policies and practices that save lives and reduce health costs through more effective prevention and management of chronic disease.

More than 85 leading organizations from across the nation have joined the PFCD since its launch in May.

The PFCD's mission is to:

• Challenge policymakers - in particular, the 2008 presidential candidates - to make the issue of chronic disease a top priority and articulate how they will address the issue through their health care proposals;

• Educate the public about chronic disease and potential solutions for individuals, communities, and the nation; and

• Mobilize Americans to call for change in how policymakers, governments, employers, health institutions, and other entities approach chronic disease.

BioOhio
Central Ohio Diabetes Association
Mental Health America of Franklin County
NAMI Ohio
National Kidney Foundation of Ohio
Ohio Academy of Family Physicians
Ohio Association of Community Health
Centers
Ohio Association of Second Harvest
Foodbanks
Ohio Bleeding Disorders Council
Ohio Chamber of Commerce
Ohio Chapters of the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society
Ohio Council of Churches
Ohio Grocers Foundation
Ohio Hospital Association
Ohio Osteopathic Association
Ohio School Based Health Care Association
Ohio State Medical Association
Ohio State Society of the American College
of Osteopathic Family Physicians
Ohio State University Department of Human
Nutrition and OSU Extension
Prevent Blindness Ohio
SEIU District 1199
Toledo-Lucas County CareNet
YMCA of Central Ohio