Press releases

Two thirds of people with asthma do not lead a full life because of their condition revealed a survey published by family physicians organisations

BRUSSELS, 6 May 2008, World Asthma Day (WAD) - Two in three people with asthma still feel that their condition is in some way preventing them achieving what they want from life and they want to know more. 'I am delighted that patients want to know more, prevent and take control of their asthma - we should all - patient organisations, health care professionals, policy makers and others support this and spring into action on asthma together with the 30 million people with asthma in Europe' said Marianella Salapatas, EFA Acting President.
Media alert including Top tips for patients, healthcare professionals and policy makers and links to full survey findings.
Summary of EFA members WAD activities.

COPD - Its hard to speak up when you are struggling to breathe. Health experst seek legislation to help Europeans to breathe more easily

STRASBOURG, 14 November 2007, World COPD Day, European Parliament EFA-ERS-ELF Press Conference - MEP Catherine Stihler launched a written declaration on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to help Europe combat the disease. The declaration calls the EU and the Member states to shape up, and work on prevention, equal access to early diagnosis and correct treatment, develop smoking cessation strategies, fund research into the causes, prevalence and treatments for COPD and implement comprehensive smoke free and clean indoor air policies, including publishing EU Green Paper on indoor air quality.
EFA Vice President Marianella Salapatas welcomed the Declaration, invited MEPs to sign it and hopes it will lead to more comprehensive programmes on COPD.

Media pack: Press Release - Communiqué de Presse - Backgrounder - Document d'Information - Leaflet on COPD for MEPs -Text of the Written Declaration on COPD, declaration nr 102 - European Parliament website: declarations - Presentation by M Salapatas EFA at the Launch and by B Mc Nee ERS.

Largest survey ever on severe asthma highlights true impact and need for improved care across Europe

BRUSSELS, 5 March 2007, Bibliotheque Solvay, EFA Press Conference - A ground-breaking survey revealing the potentially catastrophic impact of severe asthma on the lives of people across Europe has been published in the latest issue of leading scientific journal, Allergy. According to the report, commissioned by The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients Associations (EFA), 90% of the 6 million people in Europe with severe asthma are not receiving optimum care, leading 1.5 million of them to live in “constant fear” that their next attack could be fatal

Media pack: Press Release - Press Release in Dutch - Survey Fact Sheet - Severe Asthma Backgrounder - Statement of the Editor of Allergy - Support President of the European Parliament - Recent Respiratory Milestones in Europe - Patient Associations Backgrounder
Press Briefing Agenda - Speaker biographies: D Covey, A Crantz, M Partridge, M Salapatas, E Valovirta

The EU prioritises research on allergic and respiratory diseases

BRUSSELS, 30 November 2006 - EFA and International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) welcome the European Parliament’s Plenary vote on the 7th Framework Programme on Research (FP7), which makes allergic and respiratory diseases an EU research priority for the next seven years.The vote took place in line with the Council’s position, so the Programme will come into force 1st January 2007.
Joint press release EFA-IPCRG

COPD Declaration launched at the European Parliament

BRUSSELS, 15 November 2006 - European COPD patients and pneumologists mark World COPD Day 15 November 2006 and welcome the launch of a written declaration in the European Parliament calling upon the EU to pay more attention to this under-recognised and under-funded disease.
Joint press release EFA-ERS-ELF

Will Europe miss a chance for a clean and healthy air?

BRUSSELS, 23 October 2006 - European Health and Environment Ministers have one of their biggest opportunities ever to affect the future health and well being of European citizens. They will be meeting in Luxembourg to formulate a “Common Position” on European Union Health Air Quality Standards. Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and EFA are united in their conviction of the supreme importance of this legislation for future health. Joint press release HEAL-EPHA-EFA

An Unacceptable Cost: Chronic Respiratory Diseases: WHO launches global alliance to fight chronic respiratory diseases

BEIJING, 28 March 2006 – Today, members of the World Health Organization (WHO) met in China for the official launch of the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD).  GARD seeks to build awareness of chronic respiratory diseases (CRD), promote prevention against risk factors as well as improve the quality and affordability of care to patients with chronic respiratory diseases in all countries, with a particular emphasis on developing countries...
Full release - Backgrounder

World COPD Day 2005 - 16 November 2005

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a devastating and irreversible lung disease, which affects 44 million in Europe and causes around 2.75 million deaths globally every year. COPD weighs heavily on the pockets of European governments, costing nearly 51 billion euros per year. It is the sixth most common cause of death in Europe, due to become the third most common by 2020, and yet public awareness of COPD is extremely low. Frighteningly, as many as 75% of Europeans who suffer from COPD are undiagnosedand therefore their symptoms go untreated!
Full press release - World COPD Day 2005

European asthma patients living in isolation and fear of fatal attack

European Respiratory Society Congress, Copenhagen, Monday, 19 September, 2005 – The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA) launches a new report into severe asthma today. It alarmingly reveals that millions of Europeans suffer from uncontrolled asthma symptoms which are so serious that they not only significantly impact on their quality of life, but also cause fear, isolation and social exclusion.
Media Alert - Press Release - Backgrounder - Fact Sheet - Full Report - Executive Summary
Link to website of Liz Lynne MEP and presentation of report by EFA.
Presentations: 'The challenge and impact of severe asthma across Europe' - E. Valovirta
'Fighting for Breath' - M. Dockrell and 'Looking to the Future' - D.Covey

Allergic Rhinitis Patients Speak Out - New Survey Reports on Impact of this Year-Round Disease which can Affect Every Aspect of a Patient’s Life

World Allergy Congress, Munich; 28 June 2005, Conducted by the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA) in 11 countries, the Patient Voice Allergy Survey of 3,562 patients reveals the extent to which allergic rhinitis can disrupt people’s activities of daily living.
Press release Allergy Summary Report Picture of the Expert Panel

“Fighting for Breath” - A European patient perspective on severe asthma

World Asthma Day, 3rd May 2005 - New research reported by EFA (the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations) shows that at least 1.5 million Europeans with severe asthma are living in constant fear that suffocating attacks will kill them.
Press release Survey Fact-sheet Asthma Backgrounder

The Burden of Asthma in Europe

World Asthma Day, 14 May 2004 - On World Asthma Day 4 May 2004 GINA Global Initiative for Asthma published their Global Burden of Asthma report. The report is based on standardized data collected in epidemiology studies in more than 80 countries.
Burden of Asthma in Europe Fact Sheet

New European Asthma figures released in Global Report - Failure in Asthma Management reported by Asthma Experts

17th February 2004 - Over 30 million people in Europe now have asthma, a number greater than the population of the Netherlands and Belgium combined, according to data released today by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA).  The data also highlighted that while mortality from asthma has fallen in Europe, asthma care is failing patients more than previously recognised, and prevalence of asthma in children is also a focus for concern.
Press release

Don't Ignore COPD

17th November 2003 - PatientHealth care groups in Europearound the world are uniting today, World COPD Day, to extend public awareness of and call for action on of the debilitating and deadly illness, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD is the 4th leading cause of death worldwide, yet 75% of those affected remain undiagnosed.
Press release Poster

 

EFA calls for Awareness and Action on COPD in Europe

19th November 2003 - EFA launches website dedicated to COPD patients and carers.
Press release

Food Allergy Patients in Europe want to know what they eat

17th May 2003 - Food Labelling. An estimated 4 % of the adults and 8 % of the children in EU suffer from food allergy. EFA the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations would like to remind, that labelling of food ingredients is the most direct way to inform the consumer on ingredients in food. Press release

EFA Supports World COPD Day

19th November 2003 - EFA Supports World COPD Day Poster