The European Respiratory Society (ERS), alongside partner organisations, has announced the first International Respiratory Coalition (IRC) Summit: ‘Transforming respiratory medicine in a post-pandemic world’. Interested individuals are invited to join day one of the event online, free of charge, to learn more about this important initiative, which aims to support the creation of ambitious national-level respiratory strategies based on best practices and promote building resilience in managing pandemics.
Taking place on 28–29 June, the IRC Summit is hosted jointly with IRC founding partners, which include both patient organisations and industry. It will be the flagship event for this initiative – a platform for clarifying the concept of the IRC, why it is important and how it aims to support the transformation of post-pandemic respiratory care moving forward.
As well as presenting a clear overview of the IRC, day one will feature discussions on the current priorities in the respiratory field, the impact of COVID-19 on respiratory care, and how we can progress in the post-pandemic world.
The list of distinguished speakers participating in the event include Marc Humbert – ERS President, Greg Downey – American Thoracic Society President, Ildikó Horváth – State Secretary for Health (Hungary), Mina Gaga – Alternate Health Minister (Greece), Pablo Panella – Senior Vice President Global Respiratory & Immunology at AstraZeneca, and Carmen Dell’Anna – Head of Global Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer of Chiesi Group. The full list and programme can be viewed on the event webpage.
ERS President Marc Humbert emphasised the importance of this initiative: “ERS is committed to the progression of the IRC and its mission. Alongside our partners we want everyone to take the time to understand exactly what the IRC aims to do and why it has never been more important prioritise respiratory health. This Summit is a perfect platform for people to learn more. Naturally, we feel that support for this initiative can only grow based on its potential to transform respiratory care at a time when gaps in respiratory healthcare have been so clearly exposed. Support for this initiative is very important to its success. For me, as ERS President and as a pulmonologist there is no more important topic that I could highlight or support at this time. The time for improving respiratory healthcare is now.”
The second day of the event will be closed activities for invited guests and an opportunity for IRC partners to gain input from stakeholders and progress the IRC roadmap over the next 12 months and beyond.