Vice President Peter Barnes appointed to key position in European high-level research group

ERS is a founding member of the Alliance for Biomedical Research in Europe (BioMed Alliance), which is a unique initiative representing 17 leading research-oriented medical societies that include more than 200,000 researchers across Europe. Read more...

ERS welcomes the Council of Ministers conclusions on chronic respiratory diseases

The ERS welcomes the decision of European Council of Ministers taken on the 2 December to adopt Council conclusions on chronic respiratory diseases in children. This is a major political step and ERS will be working hard to see these Council conclusions implemented across Europe.

Chronic respiratory diseases are recognised to be the most common non-communicable diseases in children, and they have been on the rise in recent decades. That is why following on from the ERS conference with the Belgian Presidency of the EU and the production of the European Respiratory Roadmap the Polish Presidency has made respiratory disease prevention, early diagnosis and treatment a priority for public health.

In its conclusions, the Council invites member states to tackle the problems which constitute the biggest risk factors that could trigger a chronic respiratory disease: tobacco smoke, poor indoor air quality and outdoor air pollution.

Prevention should begin before childbirth, and stop-smoking programmes for pregnant women should, for instance, be intensified. In addition, future mothers and children should be protected against exposure to tobacco smoke, in particular at home and in closed spaces.

The Council conclusions state furthermore that knowledge and public awareness play a key role in the prevention and treatment of these diseases and should be increased. Health education of children, parents and teachers is recognised as important in this regard, as well as training of health professionals.

Cooperation and exchange of best practices are also emphasised, and the European Commission is invited to support member states in implementing their policies and improving networking, in particular international research networks. ERS aims to be at the forefront of improving the networking and exchange of best practice in this area.

Council conclusions on prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of chronic respiratory diseases in children

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WSD 2012 Lung Champions

Do you have a patient who has achieved success in a sport despite their lung problem or who has improved their quality of life by getting active? Read more...

Too big to fail!

The European Chronic Disease Alliance's request to European Heads of State on the occasion of the UN Summit on NCDs on 19 and 20 September in New York

No, we are not talking about banks – although this would probably, and sadly, be more likely to catch your attention. We are talking about the cataclysmic effects of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on people's health and lives but also the global economy. And the need for the UN High-Level Meeting on 19/20 September on NCDs to be a resounding success. NCDs include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer diseases, and chronic respiratory, kidney and liver diseases.

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ERS Policy positions and consultation responses

2011

ERS Response to the Consultation on Recognition of Professional Qualifications - (14 March 2011)

ERS Position on the Future Research Framework Programme - (May 2011)

European Respiratory Society input into the UN Civil Society interactive hearing on NCDs - (16 June 2011)

ERS response to the consultation on the Green Paper on Modernising the Professional Qualifications Directive - (20 Sept 2011)

ERS 10 Principles for Clean Air - (28 Sept 2011)

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Allergy and Asthma

Allergy and Asthma

An EU website providing an overview of EU Allergy and Asthma Research projects funded by various EU research framework programmes as well as related news and publications.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/allergy

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ERS welcomes new WHO report on global tobacco epidemic

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) welcomes a new report released yesterday (8 July 2011) by the World Health Organization (WHO), which found that more than 1 billion people are now protected by laws requiring graphic health warnings on tobacco packages.

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ERS join UN debate on non-communicable diseases

Representatives from the ERS joined a global debate at the UN Headquarters last week (16 June 2011) to address the impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which account for nearly two thirds of deaths worldwide each year.

Academics, public health experts and health activists, joined together for the hearing which is a precursor for the first-ever high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of these diseases, which will begin in New York on 19 September 2011.

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Leading respiratory organisations advocate for a comprehensive strategy to address growing epidemic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Collaborative approach needed to address the significant socio-economic impact of leading lung disease in the EU

• First-of-its-kind European open forum meeting to combat alarming increase of people living with COPD
• Multidisciplinary initiative to address key challenges in early diagnosis and management of COPD Read more...

Tobacco control: Ukraine first former CIS country to introduce picture warnings

The Ukraine has become the first former member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS – former Soviet Union) to require picture warnings on cigarette packages. It has selected a series of 10 warnings, taken from the European Commission library.

This follows the publication of a decree on Monday 4 April 2011 in the country's Official Journal. The Ukraine currently has text warnings covering 30% of the package front and back.

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