FIRS campaign continues to push for more equitable access to essential inhaled medicines
Around 750 million children and adults worldwide live with a chronic respiratory disease, making access to effective treatment an essential part of lung health.
FIRS launched its Increasing Access to Inhaled Medicines campaign on World Asthma Day 2025, advocating for more equitable access to inhaled medicines for people living with asthma and COPD.
Since then, the campaign has brought the issue into global health discussions, highlighted the barriers faced by people in different parts of the world and supported action to improve access.
Putting access on the global agenda
Access to inhaled medicines has been raised through engagement with the World Health Organization, the United Nations and other global health partners.
The campaign has contributed to discussions around COPD and asthma, including developing new language for the UN NCD Political Declaration and issuing a Call to Action ahead of the UN High-level Meeting on NCDs.
We’ve also highlighted the high cost of inhalers and the importance of access to essential respiratory medicines as part of wider discussions around universal health coverage.
World Lung Day and World Asthma Day have provided further opportunities to bring attention to the issue, alongside webinars, international conferences and global health events.
Building the evidence and sharing experiences
The barriers to accessing inhaled medicines are not the same everywhere.
FIRS has highlighted experiences from countries including Nigeria and South Africa through case studies, patient stories and presentations focused on access to inhalers in Africa.
The campaign has also explored practical issues affecting treatment, including the critical role of spacers in asthma and COPD through a FIRS Hot Topics Brief.
Research and commentary featuring FIRS have helped keep access to inhalers within wider discussions about chronic respiratory disease and lung health, including contributions published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine.
Working with global partners
Progress on access requires collaboration across the respiratory and wider health communities.
FIRS has worked with WHO, The Union, NCD Alliance and NCD PolicyLab, among others, to bring greater attention to the barriers to accessing inhaled medicines and the policy changes needed to address them.
The campaign has also supported global initiatives focused on respiratory health, including work through the Global Alliance for Respiratory Diseases (GARD).
Supporting global action on lung health
The campaign has taken place alongside important developments in global lung health policy.
We welcomed the World Health Assembly’s adoption of the Integrated Lung Health Resolution and is collaborating with WHO, UN Member States and other stakeholders to support implementation of the Resolution and the UN Declaration. These global commitments provide an important framework for strengthening lung health and addressing the needs of people living with chronic respiratory diseases.
Continuing the work
The campaign has helped keep access to inhaled medicines on the global health agenda, but barriers remain for people who need treatment.
We will continue working with its members, partners and global health organisations to advocate for more equitable access to inhaled medicines and to ensure that the needs of people living with asthma and COPD remain part of wider discussions about lung health.
Access to inhaled medicines is an essential part of lung health.
This World Lung Day on 25th September, FIRS is highlighting the progress made through the campaign and the continued need for action to ensure people living with chronic respiratory disease can access the medicines they need.