How to improve lung health in Europe? What action must EU policymakers undertake to ensure Europeans can #KeepBreathing? Join the MEP Lung Health Group webinar “KeepBreathing: A vision for EU action on lung health 2024-2029” on 21 February and learn about the new #KeepBreathing campaign on lung health – stay tuned for a presentation of a key document!
Breathing is something that we all do without usually realising it. We breathe in and out about 20,000 times a day. Having healthy lungs means we can breathe, work, and play – and be better prepared for future health crises. However, this is not the case for many people in Europe living with lung disease.
The reality is harsh: 87 million Europeans are currently living with lung disease, according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) report. Improving lung health is one of the most effective ways of alleviating the strain on EU health systems, improving quality of life, and stimulating the EU economy. However, the need to tackle poor lung health in a targeted, holistic manner has never been more urgent. The question remains the same: how to improve lung health for better lives of people in Europe?
KeepBreathing: A vision for EU action on lung health 2024-2029
Together with the European Lung Health Group (ELHG), EFA presents a new pan-European initiative to raise awareness about lung health – the #KeepBreathing campaign - in an online event “#KeepBreathing: A vision for EU action on lung health 2024-2029” on 21 February 2024.
We will kick off the event with an important discussion on opportunities for better lung in the EU together with EFA President, Marcia Podestà and ERS Director of Scientific Relations with the EU, Eva Polverino.
The discussion will gather cross-party Members of the European Parliament Tomislav Sokol (Croatia, EPP), Radka Maxova (Czechia, S&D), Stelios Kympouropoulos (Greece/EPP) around the lung health policy that helps Europe to #KeepBreathing. They will discuss opportunities and concrete actions for the EU to improve lung health in Europe:
- Prevention & public health measures
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Respiratory care, research and innovation
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Steps to prepare for the next respiratory health crisis
Launch of an EU action on lung health
In the webinar, EFA together with the ELHG will launch a new publication: “#KeepBreathing: A vision for EU action on lung health 2024-2029”. The document lays out an immediate action plan to improve lung health across three areas – prevention, care and research for a healthier, stronger and more resilient society in Europe.
The ELHG is a partnership of nine European patient associations and healthcare professionals, including the European Federation of Allergies and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA). Lung health groups are joining forces to raise awareness about lung health, highlighting the importance of lungs in a #KeepBreathing campaign.
The ELHG advocates across three key policy areas: prevention, care, and research. Addressing them will devise coherent EU policies to ensure Europeans can #KeepBreathing, improving millions of lives, better preparing Europe for future health crises, and lessening the strain on the healthcare system.
We say the time is now for a lung health policy that helps Europe to #KeepBreathing. Join our event on 21 February, 13:00-14:00 CET, and become part of the discussion on how to improve lung health in the EU. Registrations are available here.
The European Lung Health Group (ELHG) thanks EFA’s sustainable funding partners for their unrestricted educational grants which have helped the association in coordinating the work towards BREATHE Vision for 2030 and its activities: Astra Zeneca, Chiesi, and Roche. More information here.