Chronic respiratory diseases need public policy solutions at European level to respond to increasing disease prevalence, unmet treatment needs, high cost of hospitalisations, work and school sick-leaves and patient suffering. Last January 11th, EFA, in collaboration with EAACI, ENSP and ERS, organised an event to propose ways to improve research, prevention and care of chronic respiratory diseases in Europe.
Throughout the written declaration 115/2016, European patients, doctors, public health and environmental advocates have joined forces to seek the support of the European Parliament to embed a “health in all policies” approach at European level to improve respiratory health.
The co-hosting MEP Karin Kadenbach stressed how the European Parliament’s commitment to improve policies to address respiratory health started with the set-up of the Interest Group on Asthma and Allergy (chaired by the other MEP co-hosting the event Sirpa Pietikäinen) and has consolidated with the written declaration 115/2016 on chronic respiratory diseases. “Today we have 165 signatory MEPs committed to chronic respiratory diseases and this is fantastic and I hope we will get many more this week in Strasburg! I am happy and honored to be one of MEPs that launched one of the last written declarations in their current form in such important topic for public health”.
Chronic respiratory diseases account for more than 315,000 European dying every year.
John Wright from the London School of Economics presented an analysis of European research funding on chronic respiratory diseases that shows the European leadership in the sector. However, this research is fragmented and has a reduced scope.
Diseases such as respiratory allergy, asthma and COPD are costing more than €300 billion annually.
According to Prof. Wright, respiratory research results could be improved through larger research collaboration involving industry and EU investment in a larger research portfolio.
The event provided a perfect forum for the panelists from EFA, EAACI, ENSP and ERS to flag policy actions to improve research, prevention and care of chronic respiratory diseases in Europe.
The full report of The ABC to lead actions on Chronic Respiratory Diseases event is available here.
We wish to thank the campaign partners and the full house of stakeholders that joined us in the European Parliament event ‘The ABC to lead actions on Chronic Respiratory Diseases’.