American Thoracic Society

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) is a United States-based nonprofit professional and scientific organization dedicated to improving health outcomes for people affected by respiratory and related diseases. Its work covers pulmonary medicine, critical illness, sleep-related breathing disorders, respiratory science, and the wider clinical and public-health systems that influence lung health. The Society brings together physicians, research scientists, nurses, and other allied health professionals, with a membership of more than 30,000 people. Approximately one-third of its members work outside the United States, giving the organization a substantial international orientation despite its American institutional base. ATS traces its origins to 1905, when it was established as the American Sanatorium Association. The organization initially reflected the importance of sanatorium-based care and tuberculosis control in early twentieth-century respiratory medicine. It changed its name to the American Trudeau Society in 1938, honoring the legacy associated with physician Edward Livingston Trudeau and the development of tuberculosis treatment and respiratory medicine in the United States. In 1960, it adopted its current name, American Thoracic Society, a title that better represented the expanding scope of thoracic and pulmonary medicine. For much of its history, ATS functioned as the medical section of the American Lung Association. It became independently incorporated in 2000 as a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. This change established the Society as an independent nonprofit entity while preserving its professional, educational, research, and advocacy mission. The Society's scientific and clinical interests are broad. They include pulmonology, critical care, sleep medicine, infectious disease, pediatrics, allergy and immunology, thoracic surgery, behavioral science, environmental and occupational medicine, physiology, and molecular biology. Members' interests are organized through 14 specialty-focused assemblies and two sections. ATS also supports chapters representing states and other geographic areas, and it works to involve members and collaborators across national boundaries. ATS's principal activities include publishing peer-reviewed research, organizing professional education, supporting clinical standards and scientific exchange, and advocating for respiratory health. Its journal portfolio includes the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, and ATS Scholar. The organization also provides continuing medical education credits and nursing contact hours through its annual international conference and related educational programming. Its Patient Information Series distributes accessible health information electronically for patients and families. The Society participates in public policy and health advocacy relating to respiratory disease. Areas identified with its mission include securing funding for basic and clinical research, supporting global tuberculosis and tobacco-control policies, promoting enforcement of the Clean Air Act, and seeking fair reimbursement for physicians under Medicare and other insurance arrangements. These activities position ATS between a learned medical society, a scientific publisher, a continuing-education provider, and a public-health advocacy organization. It does not operate primarily as a consumer product brand; its principal offerings are professional knowledge, research dissemination, education, standards-oriented expertise, member services, and policy engagement.

The American Thoracic Society originated in 1905 as the American Sanatorium Association. Its founding context was the central role of sanatoriums and organized tuberculosis care in respiratory medicine. At that stage, the organization represented a medical field focused heavily on tuberculosis, chronic pulmonary disease, and the institutional treatment models available at the beginning of the twentieth century. In 1938, the association changed its name to the American Trudeau Society. The new name reflected the influence of Edward Livingston Trudeau, a prominent figure in American tuberculosis medicine and the history of sanatorium care. The change also signaled the Society's continuing relationship with the development of organized respiratory medicine and tuberculosis research in the United States. The organization adopted the name American Thoracic Society in 1960. By then, the scope of thoracic medicine had expanded beyond tuberculosis and sanatorium practice. Pulmonary physiology, respiratory infection, surgery, occupational and environmental exposures, pediatric disease, and other areas were becoming increasingly important. The ATS name provided a broader institutional identity suited to this expanding clinical and scientific remit. For many years, ATS operated as the medical section of the American Lung Association. This relationship connected the Society's professional and scientific activities with a larger public-facing lung-health organization. ATS members and programs continued to address clinical care, medical research, education, and respiratory-health policy while the broader field evolved to include intensive care, sleep medicine, immunology, molecular biology, and multidisciplinary approaches to lung disease. A major organizational transition occurred in 2000, when ATS became independently incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Independence gave the Society a separate corporate and governance structure while maintaining its mission as a professional and scientific body. The organization subsequently continued to develop its membership programs, specialist assemblies, geographic chapters, journals, educational activities, and advocacy work. ATS now represents more than 30,000 physicians, scientists, nurses, and other health professionals. Its membership includes people working in the United States and internationally, with roughly 32 percent based outside the country according to the referenced description. Fourteen specialty assemblies and two sections organize professional interests across fields such as pulmonary medicine, critical care, sleep medicine, infectious diseases, pediatrics, allergy and immunology, thoracic surgery, environmental and occupational medicine, physiology, and molecular biology. Chapters provide additional geographic structures for member engagement. Publishing and education have become central parts of the Society's modern role. ATS publishes four peer-reviewed journals: the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, and ATS Scholar. It also supports professional development through an annual international conference, continuing medical education credits, and nursing contact hours. The ATS Patient Information Series extends the organization's educational mission to patients and families through electronically available materials. The Society's public-health role reaches beyond professional education. It advocates for research funding, global tuberculosis control, tobacco-control policies, enforcement of the Clean Air Act, and equitable reimbursement for physician services under Medicare and other insurance systems. These activities reflect a broad understanding of respiratory health that combines clinical care with prevention, environmental regulation, scientific research, and health-system policy. The organization remains active as a nonprofit medical society rather than a commercial healthcare company, with its influence expressed through expertise, publications, member networks, education, and advocacy.

• 2000

  Became independently incorporated

  [1]American Thoracic Societyen.wikipedia.org

  ATS became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization after previously operating as the medical section of the American Lung Association.

• 1960

  Adopted the American Thoracic Society name

  [1]American Thoracic Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The organization took its current name as its professional and scientific scope broadened across thoracic and pulmonary medicine.

• 1938

  Renamed the American Trudeau Society

  [1]American Thoracic Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The association adopted the American Trudeau Society name, reflecting the historical influence of Edward Livingston Trudeau on tuberculosis medicine and sanatorium care.

• 1905

  Established as the American Sanatorium Association

  [1]American Thoracic Societyen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was founded as the American Sanatorium Association, during a period when sanatorium-based tuberculosis care was central to respiratory medicine.

A nonprofit, member-led medical and scientific society serving respiratory-health professionals through research publishing, education, professional collaboration, patient information, and public-policy advocacy.

• Peer-reviewed journal

  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

  A flagship ATS peer-reviewed journal focused on respiratory medicine, pulmonary disease, and critical-care research. It serves clinicians and investigators by disseminating research relevant to diagnosis, treatment, pathophysiology, and outcomes in respiratory and intensive-care settings.

• Peer-reviewed journal

  American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology

  An ATS scientific journal centered on cellular, molecular, and biological mechanisms relevant to respiratory disease. It supports research spanning basic biology and translational questions affecting the lungs and respiratory system.

• Peer-reviewed journal

  Annals of the American Thoracic Society

  A peer-reviewed ATS journal covering clinical, scientific, educational, and policy-oriented subjects in pulmonary, critical-care, and sleep medicine. It reflects the Society's multidisciplinary approach to respiratory health and professional practice.

• Peer-reviewed journal

  ATS Scholar

  An ATS publication supporting scholarship and education in respiratory and critical-care medicine. It contributes to the Society's role in professional learning, academic development, and dissemination of educational work.

• Professional conference and education

  ATS Annual International Conference

  The Society's annual international conference brings together respiratory-health professionals for scientific exchange, clinical education, and professional networking. The program supports continuing medical education and nursing contact hours.

• Patient education

  ATS Patient Information Series

  An electronically available collection of patient-oriented respiratory-health information. The series translates aspects of pulmonary and related medical knowledge into materials intended to support patients and families.

• Global tuberculosis control advocacy

  International

  ATS supports global tuberculosis-control policies as part of its broader respiratory-health advocacy and infectious-disease mission.

  Source
• Tobacco-control advocacy

  United States · International

  The Society advocates tobacco-control policies intended to reduce preventable respiratory disease and improve population lung health.

  Source
• Clean Air Act advocacy

  United States

  ATS supports enforcement of the Clean Air Act, linking environmental regulation with prevention of respiratory disease and protection of public health.

  Source

• 2000

  Became an independent nonprofit organizationStrategy

  Background

  ATS had previously operated as the medical section of the American Lung Association.

  Action taken

  The Society became independently incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization.

  Aftermath

  ATS continued as an independent professional and scientific society with its own membership, publications, education, and advocacy activities.

  Source

• 1960

  Adopted the American Thoracic Society nameStrategy

  Background

  The Society's interests had expanded beyond tuberculosis and sanatorium care into a wider range of thoracic, pulmonary, and respiratory disciplines.

  Action taken

  It changed its name from the American Trudeau Society to the American Thoracic Society.

  Aftermath

  The current name established a broader identity aligned with the organization's expanding clinical, scientific, educational, and advocacy activities.

  Source

• 1938

  Adopted the American Trudeau Society nameStrategy

  Background

  The organization evolved within a respiratory-health field strongly shaped by tuberculosis treatment and sanatorium medicine.

  Action taken

  It changed its name from the American Sanatorium Association to the American Trudeau Society.

  Aftermath

  The renamed organization continued its professional and scientific work in respiratory medicine.

  Source

1. 1American Thoracic Societyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2American Thoracic Society official websitethoracic.org