On 6 May, World Asthma Day, the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), launched a campaign to spur action to reduce the wide gaps in access to inhaled medicines for COPD and asthma.
Lack of access is causing a massive burden of suffering and high and rising health and economic costs in most countries.
The campaign will highlight:
- 652 million children and adults are living with COPD or asthma; the vast majority without access to quality, affordable, and effective inhaled medicines
- 4.1 million died due to COPD or asthma in 2021, the 3rd largest burden of death according to the Global Burden of Disease, with deaths projected to double by 2050
- 80%+ COPD and asthma deaths are in just 20 “high-burden” countries
- Inhalers are generally available in only 26% of low-income countries but 93% of high-income countries, according to WHO survey
- Where available, inhalers can cost one month’s wages for a week’s supply
- New estimates forecast cumulative costs of more than US$40 trillion by 2050 for COPD alone
FIRS is calling for action in five key areas. More details on the FIRS website here.
About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies
The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is an organization comprised of the world’s leading international respiratory societies working together to improve lung health globally. The goal of FIRS is to unify and enhance efforts to improve lung health through the combined work of its more than 70,000 members globally.
FIRS comprises the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), American Thoracic Society (ATS), the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociación Latinoamericana de Tórax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS), the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).
