ERS is an international membership organisation that brings together physicians, healthcare professionals, scientists and other experts working in respiratory medicine. We are one of the leading medical organisations in the respiratory field, with a growing membership representing over 160 countries.
The ERS mission is to promote lung health and alleviate suffering from respiratory disease.
Science, education and advocacy are at the core of everything we do; we promote scientific research, provide access to high-quality educational resources and play a key role in raising awareness of lung disease to politicians. We work closely with the European Lung Foundation to extend that reach to the public and patients.
One in eight people in Europe die due to lung diseases – this means one person every minute. It includes well-known diseases like asthma and lung cancer and other less known like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which is now the third most common cause of death.
The European Respiratory Society (ERS) was founded in 1990 as a result of a merger between two existing societies: the Societas Europaea Physiologiae Clinicae Respoiratoriae (SEPCR, founded 1966) and the European Society of Pneumology (SEP, founded 1981).
The merger took place at SEPCR and SEP joint meeting in London. A major benefit of this merger was a unification of what had previously been two distinct groups – the basic scientists of SEPCR and the clinicians of SEP. The interconnectivity of these two groups continues to be a driving force behind the success of our society today.
ERS also brought forward the assembly structure of SEPCR and continued to develop it. Our assemblies, and the groups within them, are the backbone of ERS. They underpin all scientific and educational activities and drive us forward in our mission.
Joanna Chorostowska-Wynimko, President
Silke Ryan, Past President
Marc Miravitlles, President Elect
Arzu Yorgancioğlu, Vice President
There are two ways to join ERS as a member: through one of our partner societies at a reduced rate or as a direct member.
Join through a society Become a direct member
ERS and the European Lung Foundation (ELF) collaborate on a number of EU-funded projects. These projects look at unmet medical and societal needs in the respiratory field by focusing on different aspects in the translational process – how observation in the clinic, laboratory and community turns into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public.
ERS collaborates with national, regional and other specialist societies across Europe and worldwide. We see these connections as essential, as they facilitate international collaboration, knowledge sharing and widespread access to resources, as we all work towards the common goal of improving respiratory health. The Conference of European Respiratory Societies (CERS) is a platform for ERS and partnered societies to get together and coordinate common activities.
ERS is a proud member of several alliances which look at specific areas within respiratory health. Alliances include the World Health Organization and a focus on areas such as TB elimination.
The Fellow of ERS Award (FERS) recognises excellence in contributions to research, education and clinical leadership in respiratory medicine from amongst the ERS membership. Members can apply directly for this title or be nominated by a colleague.
See the full list of ERS members who have been awarded the prestigious FERS Award.