The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) has launched the FIRS Lung Health Taskforce, an ambitious new initiative to improve the way lung health is assessed and managed around the world.
In partnership with the Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI), the Taskforce brings together leading experts to lay the groundwork for a global standard in respiratory assessment.
Backed by all FIRS member societies, the Taskforce is a major step toward developing a Global Lung Health Index—a comprehensive tool to better understand and track lung health across populations and settings.
The initiative is led by a faculty of world-renowned experts in respiratory medicine and public health, with representation from across the globe.
Lung health is influenced by a complex interplay of biological, environmental and social determinants throughout the lifespan. The Taskforce will address critical gaps in global assessment practices, aiming to strengthen prevention, early detection and disease management—especially in low-resource settings.
Its key objectives are to develop:
• Lung Health Spirometry Toolkit: A standardized, globally applicable set of protocols and data collection tools to support consistent spirometry practices in both clinical and research settings. This will be particularly valuable in underserved regions where access to diagnostic infrastructure is limited.
• Global Lung Health Index: The Taskforce will explore and define pathways toward a comprehensive index that integrates diverse health determinants, aiming to overcome systemic biases and inform more equitable respiratory care.
• Inclusive Expert Consensus: Drawing on a multidisciplinary Steering and Advisory Group, the Taskforce will develop recommendations through broad engagement, transparency and scientific rigor.
Professor Gregory Downey, Steering Group Co-chair, said: “The Lung Health Taskforce represents a significant step forward in how we assess and understand lung health. By addressing structural gaps and working toward practical, inclusive solutions, we aim to ensure more accurate and accessible lung function assessment for all populations.”
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Media contact: Fiona Salter
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About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies
The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is an organization comprised of the world’s leading international respiratory societies working together to improve lung health globally. FIRS unifies and amplifies the efforts of its 70,000+ members to prevent and treat respiratory disease around the world.
Member societies include the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), American Thoracic Society (ATS), the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociación Latinoamericana de Tórax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS), the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).
About the Global Lung Function Initiative
The Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) is an ERS Clinical Research Collaboration (CRC) composed of physiologists, respirologists, epidemiologists and statisticians working to improve the interpretation of lung function tests globally.