The Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc., (MCAN), is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization established in 2005 to address the complex and growing problem of pediatric asthma in the United States.

Funded by The Merck Company Foundation, MCAN's mission is to enhance the quality of life for children with asthma and their families, and to reduce the burden of the disease on them and society.

Led by Floyd Malveaux, M.D., Ph.D., a nationally recognized expert in asthma and allergic diseases and former dean of the Howard University College of Medicine, MCAN seeks to be a respected authority, effective catalyst and influential advocate for children with asthma by focusing on three goals:

• Goal 1: Improving access to and quality of asthma healthcare for children, especially the vulnerable and medically underserved;
• Goal 2: Advocating for policies that expedite implementation, dissemination and sustainability of science-based asthma care; and
• Goal 3: Increasing awareness and knowledge of asthma and quality asthma care.

MCAN funds programs that involve tailored asthma case management and the reduction of environmental risk factors/triggers in the home. These programs are implemented in several different settings: community health centers, school systems, community-based organizations, public housing and primary care centers.

MCAN also funds the American Academy of Pediatrics to support education for pediatricians to implement the asthma diagnosis and management guidelines, and the National Education Association, to train educators to recognize asthma symptoms and manage acute episodes. MCAN advocates for policies that support science-based asthma care by working with partners such as the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

MCAN is guided by input from its Board of Trustees and a National Advisory Board, which includes renowned experts and thought leaders with expertise that ranges from asthma treatment and management to translational and implementation research and health services research to health disparities and policy.

The Merck Company Foundation has committed $41 million to support MCAN over 10 years (2005-2014).

"The best and most effective asthma management strategies are useless if we don't understand how they can be applied and implemented in real world settings, particularly in communities where the need is great. This is the unique role of the Merck Childhood Asthma Network. Funding and implementing evidence-based programs, MCAN's work is getting us closer to widespread and lasting changes to help improve the lives of children with asthma and their families."

Cynthia S. Rand, Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University & Chair, National Advisory Board, Merck Childhood Asthma Network