Planetary health and climate change: the effect on children with respiratory diseases around the world (PATS-ERS)

The recent climate crisis experienced worldwide underscore the need for the world to transition to greener products with lower global warming potential. Respiratory disease depend on use on inhaled therapies, particularly asthma but also other chronic lung diseases. The proposed European Union regulation of F-gases will have significant implications to access to pressured metered dose inhalers, especially for young children. It is well-described that the current inhaler types because they contain hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellants (HFA-134a or HFA227ea) have a high global warming potential (GWP). With the phasing out of these propellants without transmission to  HFC152a and HFC-1234ze being accessible and most importantly affordable, this may leave a large number of children who are unable to use dry powder inhalers without much needed medication.

Educational aims

The webinar will discuss the current status of access to inhalers, a just transition to inhalers of lower GWP and implications of the Kigali Agreement on access to inhaled therapies and discuss the inequities this may create in the paediatric population.

Format

A clinical case discussion webinar composed of two lectures, each 20 minutes long, followed by a 15-20 minute Q&A session.

Learning outcomes

Discussion of the current status with inhalers and use in paediatrics and the implications on the EU regulation on F-gases will have on access to inhalers and implications for treatment of respiratory diseases.

More information

This webinar is organised directly by the Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS). For any questions including registration, technical and log in details, please contact PATS directly in this link.