The International COPD Coalition (ICC) was pleased to announce that 480 people participated in the Second World Conference of COPD Patient Organisations held in Shanghai on 6-7 of November. A video, picture and summary section has now been created on its website, where it is possible to follow the presentations and read about the main achievements of the conference. Throughout the 2-day event - which generated significant media attention and gathered high-level government representatives including the Chinese Minister for health - topics included the role that governments and health ministries have to play in combating COPD, the future of COPD patient organisations, lessons in advocacy, collaboration between organisations and recent medical advances in COPD.
Former EFA President Marianella Salapatas represented EFA at the conference and spoke about EFA's work in a plenary session entitled 'COPD Patient group advocacy: global lessons.' were she mentioned several of the initiatives EFA has taken to raise public and political awareness of COPD, including the EFA book on COPD in Europe, the Call to Action on COPD and EU projects it has taken an active role in. She stressed that the most important role of patient organisations in advocacy is to ensure patients' voices are heard. Also released at the conference was a summary of the new 'GOLD Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of COPD'. The document was adopted at the conference on November 7th, and GOLD, which is in charge of global COPD guidelines, indicated that the final version would be available soon on its website.
It is possible to view her contribution, along with the others, at the World Conference section of the ICC website.