In support of World COPD Day on November 20, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is highlighting the importance of measuring lung function - also known as spirometry - with the theme ‘Know Your Lung Function’.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable condition marked by breathlessness, chronic sputum production and cough, claiming three million lives globally each year —particularly in low-resource countries — and is expected to increase due to aging populations and ongoing exposure to risks like tobacco smoke.

Although spirometry is an essential tool for diagnosing COPD, it is also a marker of health throughout life. Our lungs grow from the womb all the way through young adulthood. Throughout this period we are vulnerable to stressors like air pollution and respiratory infections that can impede lung growth and increase our risk for developing chronic lung disease later in life. Unfortunately, much lung function can be lost before we develop symptoms.

Lung function is not only a predictor of lung health, but our overall health. Small reductions in lung function are linked to higher mortality rates, both respiratory and non-respiratory. Early detection through spirometry can lead to prompt interventions and improved outcomes.

Initiatives to reduce the burden of COPD and to promote lung health are taking place worldwide, including smoking-cessation programs, efforts to combat indoor and outdoor air pollution, as well as examining childhood disadvantage factors.

Although there is currently no cure for COPD, steps to prevent it and improve quality of life can be taken by a variety of individuals in many different settings. Employers can strive for safe breathing environments, citizens can act as stewards of air cleanliness, and both patients and families can help advocate for more research and better access to care, including essential medications, routine spirometry screenings, and other treatments like telehealth access for patients in remote settings. In addition, providers and policy makers can work together to improve access to spirometry and advocate for its use as a general health marker in all stages of life.

Learn more in the 2024 GOLD Report GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS, MANAGEMENT, AND PREVENTION OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (2024 REPORT)

World COPD Day World COPD Day is an annual global initiative run by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), a member of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS). The goal of World COPD Day is to raise awareness and present new knowledge and therapeutic strategies for COPD worldwide. The 23rd annual World COPD Day will take place on November 20, 2024.
Be part of the global effort to improve the lives of people with COPD. Join World COPD Day events organized by GOLD and FIRS. Find out more here.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable disease causing breathlessness, chronic sputum production, and cough. It's a leading global killer, especially prevalent in low-resource countries. Annually, COPD claims three million lives worldwide, a number projected to rise due to aging populations and continued exposure to risk factors like tobacco smoke. While tobacco smoke is a primary risk factor, COPD's complex etiology involves genetic and environmental factors, beginning in utero and progressing throughout life.

About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS)
The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is an organisation comprised of the world's leading international respiratory societies working together to improve lung health globally: American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), American Thoracic Society (ATS), Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociación Latino Americana De Tórax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (The Union), Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS), Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).

The goal of FIRS is to unify and enhance efforts to improve lung health through the combined work of its more than 70,000 members globally.

For more information about FIRS please contact Fiona Salter This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Seven million deaths annually are attributed to air pollution-related illnesses like COPD, lung cancer and respiratory infections.  The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), calls on global leaders to intensify efforts to combat air pollution, a leading cause of lung disease and death worldwide.

World Lung Day (Wednesday, 25 September) is organized by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS). This year's theme, "Clean Air and Healthy Lungs for All," highlights the critical link between air quality and lung health.

Toxic air is a universal threat, impacting everyone from infants to older people. Exposure can shorten lives, damage lungs, exacerbate asthma, and lead to chronic respiratory diseases.

An alarming 99 percent of the global population breathes air exceeding World Health Organization  guideline limits, with low- and middle-income countries disproportionately affected.

M. Patricia Rivera MD, president of FIRS and immediate past-president of the American Thoracic Society, emphasizes the profound impact of climate change on public health:

"Rising air pollution and ground-level ozone, linked to greenhouse gas emissions, are diminishing lung function, increasing hospitalizations for respiratory diseases, and elevating the risk of lung cancer.

“We must intensify efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to combat the health risks and mortality linked to air pollution worldwide.”

Climate change is a major driver of air pollution. As the earth warms, weather patterns become disrupted leading to increased wildfires, dust storms and stagnant air masses that trap pollutants closer to the ground. This rise in air pollution is having an impact on lung health. Children, older adults, and people with existing respiratory conditions are especially vulnerable to its effects. Climate change is also linked to the spread of infectious diseases, such as pneumonia, which can further compromise lung health.

FIRS calls on governments and healthcare providers worldwide to prioritize reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This critical step will improve air quality, protect lung health, and save lives.

 Join the Conversation

• FIRS World Lung Day Webinar: 1:00 PM CEST, Sept. 25, 2024, chaired by the President of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies M. Patricia Rivera, MD, ATSF. Engage with global experts on pressing issues affecting lung health, from climate change to the need for global standardization and advocacy. Register here.
• Triple Threat to Lung Health Find key facts on air pollution, tobacco use, and climate change here.
• The Global Impact of Respiratory Disease report outlines major causes of respiratory disease and lays out recommendations for global action.

FIRS Media Contact Fiona Salter, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies

The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is a collaborative organization consisting of the world's foremost international respiratory societies. Comprising over 70,000 members globally, FIRS is dedicated to advancing lung health on a global scale.

FIRS comprises: the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), American Thoracic Society (ATS), the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociación Latino Americana De Tórax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (The Union), Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS), the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).

On World Pneumonia Day, 12 November 2024, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is calling for urgent action to prevent pneumonia deaths among high-risk groups particularly children younger than five years and older people. New effective preventive interventions are available, but these are still inaccessible in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Prof Heather Zar, of the Pan African Thoracic Society Executive Committee, a FIRS member, says:
“New, highly effective interventions to prevent Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) pneumonia in infants and young children have recently become available and can substantially reduce the burden of childhood pneumonia and mortality. However, access and affordability in LMICs is crucial to reduce global inequity and promote health for all children, especially as most severe illness occurs in LMICs.”

In 2021, pneumonia claimed the lives of 2,2 million people including 502,000 (23%) children aged less than 5 years and 152,000 (7%) newborn babies. The pneumonia burden remains unacceptably high, especially as most deaths are preventable. In addition, early life pneumonia may lead to poorer health through life and contribute to the development of chronic respiratory disease in adulthood.

S. pneumoniae (pneumococcus) remains one of the most important bacteria causing pneumonia across age groups, while RSV is a major cause of pneumonia and hospitalization in children and older people. However, there are now effective vaccines for these. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, a highly effective vaccine preventing pneumonia from S pneumoniae has been available for over two decades but is still not accessible to many children in poor areas. New, highly effective vaccines against RSV are now available. These include vaccines specifically for older adults, a vaccine for pregnant women, and a long-acting antibody to protect infants and young children. However, there is very limited availability of these in LMICs despite the large number of children and older adults developing severe pneumonia in these countries and excellent protection offered by vaccination.

Most deaths occur in the poorest populations in LMICs. Key risk factors for pneumonia include air pollution, malnutrition, smoke exposure, HIV infection, and low vaccination rates. For young children, prematurity and lack of breastfeeding are additional risks. Limited access to effective treatment of pneumonia is also a concern, especially in many LMICs, where healthcare facilities and oxygen systems are often unavailable, particularly for children.

Although pneumonia deaths have substantially declined over the past decade, urgent efforts are still needed to improve access to effective prevention and treatment. On World Pneumonia Day, FIRS is calling on governments and partners to:

• Ensure equitable and sustained access to vaccines against the commonest pathogens.
• Ensure access to new highly effective preventive interventions against RSV for infants and young children globally.
• Strengthen health systems to deliver interventions which reduce pneumonia deaths, including provision of effective vaccines, antibiotics and oxygen delivery systems.
• Strengthen national and international commitment to support interventions against the leading risk factors for pneumonia.
• Improve support for research into cost-effective interventions to prevent and treat pneumonia in LMICs.

About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies

The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is an organisation comprised of the world's leading international respiratory societies working together to improve lung health globally. The goal of FIRS is to unify and enhance efforts to improve lung health through the combined work of its more than 70,000 members globally.

FIRS comprises 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).

In support of World Lung Cancer Day on August 1, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) stresses the importance of early screening awareness and access to diagnose and treat lung cancer.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), lung cancer kills more people yearly than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined, and there are 2.1 million lung cancer cases worldwide. The risk of death can be drastically reduced through early detection of cancer and appropriate treatment.

“World Lung Cancer Day is an opportunity for the members of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies to advocate for access to early lung cancer screening for qualifying patients,” says M. Patricia Rivera, M.D., current President of FIRS.  “Through early detection, we can make a global impact on lung cancer and its associated mortality.”

To identify and diagnose lung cancer in its earlier stages, it is recommended to seek lung cancer screening with a low-dose computed tomography (also known as low-dose CT or LDCT). If the individual is currently smoking or formerly smoked, lung cancer screening is recommended.

Individuals who meet the below criteria are considered to be at "high risk" for developing lung cancer and should be screened:

• 50-80 years of age
• Have a 20-pack-year history of smoking (this means 1 pack a day for 20 years, 2 packs a day for 10 years, etc.)
• AND, currently smoke or have quit within the last 15 years

It’s also beneficial to recognize the signs of lung cancer that may be a sign to seek screening. The most common symptoms of lung cancer are:

• cough that does not go away
• chest pain
• shortness of breath
• coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
• fatigue
• weight loss with no known cause
• lung infections that keep coming back.

 For more facts on the global impact of lung cancer, view the WHO fact sheet: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/lung-cancer

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. The goal of FIRS is to unify and enhance efforts to improve lung health through the combined work of its more than 70,000 members globally.

FIRS comprises 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).