European Respiratory Patient Academy
The European Respiratory Patient Academy is led by EFA and co-developed with a Steering Committee of European patient organisations. It aims at empowering patient advocates with the knowledge and skills to influence healthcare, research and policy decisions.
The Academy offers expert-led workshops and practical exercises on advocacy, leadership, communication, understanding health systems and using evidence, all built around peer learning and lived experience.
COPD Beyond Care
COPD Beyond Care is an EFA project to improve quality of life and access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and support for people living with COPD in Europe. It brings together patient evidence and national realities to identify what is missing in care and where change is most urgent.The project has three main strands of work. The report “Raising the bar for better standards of care for COPD in Europe” is a powerful tool in the journey to halt COPD. It examines prevention, awareness, access to care, and digital health solutions across Europe and sets clear policy recommendations.
The Travel with Oxygen practical toolkit and EFA network of National Contact Points to make travelling with oxygen safer and easier for patients.
GUIDE Asthma
The GUIDE Asthma project helps people with asthma better understand and manage their condition through trustworthy, easy-to-read information. It focuses on closing the gap in accessible patient education across Europe.
As part of this project, EFA created AboutAsthma.org, a website based on the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) Strategy Report. It translates clinical recommendations into practical guidance that patients and carers can use in daily life.
#KeepBreathing
The #KeepBreathing campaign, launched in 2023 and steered by EFA through the European Lung Health Group (ELHG), raises awareness of the urgent need for better lung health in Europe. The group unites nine European patient and healthcare organisations to strengthen prevention, improve care and research, and ensure that respiratory health becomes a lasting priority on the European agenda. The ELHG also leads Breathe Vision for 2030, which sets shared ambitions on awareness, prevention, care and research and aims to influence EU and European policy priorities to deliver better respiratory health outcomes by 2030.
Atopic Eczema Skin Needs
EFA works on atopic eczema through research, awareness and advocacy. The Atopic Eczema Burden project shows the physical, emotional and economic impact of the disease and translates patient experience into policy work. We co-created the Europe-wide campaign “Atopic Eczema: #BreakTheInvisibleBurden” with 9 EFA members, setting out clear priorities and supporting implementation of the WHA resolution on skin diseases at EU and national level. We also coordinate World Atopic Eczema Day with GlobalSkin and run the Atopical Lives online exhibition, sharing real stories from people across Europe.