S.2 Ep. 15 | The COPD Gap: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Access
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Breathing is something most of us never think about—until we can't. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is the third leading cause of death worldwide, yet it remains widely underdiagnosed and underfunded. In this episode of Beyond the Endpoint, host Emily O'Brien is joined by Chris Mosher, a pulmonologist and DCRI faculty member whose research focuses on improving outcomes for people living with COPD. Mosher explains what COPD is, how it differs from other airway conditions like asthma, and why so many patients go undiagnosed for years. The conversation tackles the stigma surrounding smoking as a risk factor, the stark funding disparity compared to heart disease and cancer, and the barriers patients face in accessing even proven treatments like pulmonary rehabilitation. Our guest also shares research regarding the cost-saving aspects of pulmonary rehab and a novel biologic therapy.
Related Links
- Aspirin Dosing for Secondary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma: Insights From ADAPTABLE (Journal of the American Heart Association, 2025)
- Review of the Evidence for Pulmonary Rehabilitation in COPD: Clinical Benefits and Cost-Effectiveness (Respiratory Care, 2024)
- Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease After Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Hospitalization among Primary and Secondary Prevention Older Adults (Journal of the American Heart Association, 2025)
About Our Guest
Christopher Mosher, MD, MHS, is a pulmonary and critical care specialist at Duke Health and a physician-investigator committed to improving outcomes for patients living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). His clinical and research focus centers on three intersecting areas: clinical trials investigating novel COPD therapeutics, mechanisms underlying treatment response to pulmonary rehabilitation through an aging lens, and the relationship between COPD and cardiovascular disease risk. Inspired early in his training by patients who described breathlessness as one of the most distressing experiences imaginable, Dr. Mosher has built his career around alleviating that burden and partnering with his patients to improve their quality of life. He works closely with each patient to develop personalized treatment plans, drawing on Duke Health's multidisciplinary resources, including pulmonary rehabilitation, lung transplant, and interventional pulmonary care. As an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine and a member of the Duke Clinical Research Institute, Dr. Mosher contributes to advancing the global understanding of COPD and the development of new therapeutic strategies.