As we approach World COPD Day on November 20, EFA is excited to announce the upcoming launch of the 2024 COPD Standards of Care Report. This report brings to light the reality of COPD care across Europe - the advances made and the serious gaps that remain.
COPD is a largely preventable chronic respiratory disease, yet it is often overlooked. Many patients face delayed diagnoses, limited treatment options, and lack of support, leaving them to manage a complex disease with few resources. It has been nearly a decade since EFA released its initial 2013 Minimum Standards of Care for COPD Patients in Europe. Since then, our members report that too many people with COPD have struggled to get the care they need.
The EFA Community - our COPD Working Group of Members, played a crucial role in developing this report, sharing national data, patient stories, and detailed feedback from their countries. Our members reviewed drafts, provided survey responses, and shared on-the-ground insights, helping to capture the reality of COPD care across Europe and build a call to action. Their contributions highlight both the gaps and the progress in COPD care, offering a grounded perspective on what patients face daily.
A silent crisis for patients and society
The report sheds light on the true cost of neglecting COPD care. Patients often endure long waits for diagnoses, which causes the disease to worsen and damages their quality of life. The financial toll on society is staggering, with billions spent each year in direct and indirect costs. For many countries in Europe, this limited progress means higher healthcare costs and lost productivity. It also means lives disrupted and, for some, lives cut short.
Behind every statistic is a person, someone who struggles to breathe, to work and find support. Every delay in care has a real human impact.
A roadmap for change
The 2024 COPD Standards of Care Report is not just an overview, it is a call to action. EFA’s report calls on European leaders to take a stand and put policy changes in place that address the full spectrum of COPD needs. It emphasises the importance of timely diagnoses, effective treatment, and the social and emotional support that patients need for a better quality of life.
Our call? That no COPD patient in Europe faces this journey alone.
Join Us on World COPD Day
Mark your calendars for November 20. Follow the hashtag #COPDStandardsOfCare on social media to be part of the conversation and join us in raising the bar for COPD care in Europe.
We thank our community for their dedication to this effort, which is part of EFA’s broader mission to establish consistent standards of care for COPD patients throughout Europe. EFA also thanks our sustainable corporate partners Roche and Sanofi-Regeneron for their educational grants 2023 for making the upcoming Report possible and AstraZeneca, Roche and Sanofi-Regeneron for educational grants to our Project COPD Beyond Care 2024 towards our campaign, and determination to measure standards of care from now on.