European Respiratory Society Sign Up Information

Abstract and clinical case submission has opened for the upcoming ERS International Congress, which will take place in Barcelona, Spain from 4-8 September, 2021. ERS members and colleagues are encouraged to submit your research or interesting clinical cases for inclusion in the scientific or educational congress programme. The submission deadline is 11 February, 2021.

 Learn more about abstract and clinical case submission

 

Following the latest round of ERS elections, which saw ERS members vote for their preferred candidates for the roles of National Delegates, Assembly Heads and Secretaries, and Group Chairs and Secretaries, we are delighted to share the details of the successful candidates. ERS officers play an important role in helping to steer the direction of our Society and representing the interests of ERS Assembly and Group members. We sincerely thank all candidates in these elections as well as all members who took the time to vote.

 Learn more and see the list of successful candidates

Registration for next year's Sleep and Breathing conference is now open. For the first time, the event will take place virtually, from 16-17 April, 2021. The event is the largest pan-European meeting of its kind, offering an integrated approach to the investigation and treatment of sleep disorders with a focus on professional development and education. Case submissions are now being accepted, providing delegates with the opportunity to have their work presented during the case-based session at the conference.

 Register for Sleep and Breathing 2021
 View the programme and submit a clinical case

ERS is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of the ERS Scientific Award programmes, which have been revised to specifically target different career stages of ERS members. Applications and nominations for the ERS Cournand Lecture Award, ERS Mid-Career Gold Medals, ERS Main Awards and ERS Lifetime Achievement Awards will open on 4 January, 2021.

 Read the full news summary

Following an initial survey which identified key unanswered questions relating to granulomatous-lymphocytic interstitial lung disease (GLILD), the e-GLILDnet Clinical Research Collaboration is conducting a follow-up survey to determine the top ten most important areas for research within the field. Adult or paediatric immunologists or pulmonologists managing GLILD are invited to complete the survey before 31 December, 2020 at 23:59 CET.

 Take the short survey
 Learn more about e-GLILDnet

The European Lung Foundation (ELF) is conducting a survey to get a better understanding of how the information it produces, including factsheets and translated materials, are used by healthcare professionals. The survey takes two minutes to complete and your feedback will help ELF to improve its offering of patient resources.

 Complete the ELF survey



 

Doctors Pieter Roel Tuinman and Luigi Pisani present the latest CME online module which focuses on the use and diagnostic process of lung ultrasound (LUS). The module includes a discussion on initial assessment using LUS in the case of a dyspnoeic patient, monitoring and scoring and how to implement LUS, among other topics relating to the diagnostic technique.

 Take the module and collect a CME credit
 Access more online modules

Did you know that recordings of live ERS webinars are added to ERS's e-learning website? Catch up now on some of the latest webinars, which cover pulmonary vascular complications caused by COVID-19, biologic therapies in paediatric severe asthma, the development of precision medicine interventions, and lots more.

 Access all ERS webinar recordings




 

ERS is pleased to share that the lung health group in the European Parliament will be formally launched in the virtual advocacy event, 'Every breath counts - respiratory health in COVID-19 times', taking place on 13 October, 2020 at 15:00-16:30 CET. Stella Kyriakides, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, will deliver a keynote address during the meeting. The event will feature presentations by ERS President Prof. Anita Simonds and Marta Almagro, who is an active patient advocate with the European Lung Foundation (ELF), with further discussion and participation from the MEP group co-chairs MEP Manuel Pizarro and MEP Zeljana Zovko.

 Find out more and register for free

Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, ERS expresses solidarity with all in the respiratory community and shares a message of support by the ERS President, Prof. Anita Simonds. This year has been particularly challenging for respiratory patients and health professionals due to COVID-19, but the pandemic has increased public awareness of the importance of mental health in addition to physical health. ERS supports the call for increased investment in mental health services across Europe, as this will help in the delivery of multidisciplinary clinical care which combines medical treatment and guided rehabilitation with psychological support.

 Read the full message and access resources on mental health 

ELF has produced a factsheet to help people manage breathlessness at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to help people who have experienced breathlessness as a result of COVID-19 infection and people who have underlying conditions that cause breathlessness, which may have become worse because of the pandemic. The factsheet is available to download in English, with translations to follow.

 Download the ELF factsheet

ERS has joined with medical societies and patient advocates across disciplines to call for urgent action to make clinical trials less bureaucratic, more patient-centred and cheaper. The statement argues that more flexible, risk-based and pragmatic regulation, without compromising either quality or safety, is possible and that this was demonstrated by the guidance issued by European regulators on the management of clinical trials during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Read the full article

ERS has begun the search for the next Chief Editor of Breathe. Breathe is ERS's open access, clinical educational publication which brings high-quality practice-focused reviews, cases and viewpoints to a wide audience. The current Chief Editor, Prof. Claudia Dobler, and her editorial board will complete their mandate in September 2021. It is anticipated that the next Editor will shadow the current editorial team from early 2021, assuming full responsibility in September 2021. Interested candidates must apply by the deadline of 9 November, 2020.

 Access the full job description and find out how to apply

The print copy of the ERS Monograph on Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease is now available to pre-order. This Monograph provides the general respiratory physician with a working reference based on the latest literature and expert opinion. The book features chapters on: the epidemiology of occupational and environmental lung diseases; specific occupational lung diseases, which ask key questions and provide a clear clinical focus; and respiratory symptoms associated with outdoor and indoor non-workplace environments. Order your copy before 2 November to get a ?10 discount.

 Pre-order a print copy
 See the list of countries currently eligible for shipping

Have you written a systematic review article and want to get published in a high-quality publication? Good news! The European Respiratory Review (ERR) is calling for systematic review submissions. ERR is an open-access journal published by ERS that provides updates on medicine, science and surgery for respiratory professionals through state-of-the-art review articles, editorials and correspondence. Its current impact factor is 6.220 and it is indexed in Medline.

 Find out more and submit




 

An upcoming webinar will explore indications for inhaled antimicrobials in different diseases and settings, their potential benefits and risks, and the different drugs and methods of inhalation available. The webinar will take place on 29 October, 2020 and will consist of a 30-minute lecture followed by three interactive clinical cases.

 Register for the webinar
 View more ERS webinars

In the last week there has been lots of encouraging news focused on potential COVID-19 vaccines. For expert reaction to these announcements and to put the reports into context, we spoke to Prof. Anita Simonds, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) President.

 Read the news summary and ERS leadership response

Registration is now open for next year's ERS Satellites event, taking place virtually on 2 March, 2021. Chaired by Profs Daiana Stolz, Chris Brightling and Richard Costello, the comprehensive programme will cover asthma, COPD, ILD and chronic cough, and live-streaming technology will allow virtual delegates to ask questions and discuss presentations with speakers and chairs. This high-quality educational event can be accessed free of charge by healthcare professionals from anywhere in the world.

 Learn more and register for free 




 

The European Lung Foundation (ELF) and COPD Foundation have launched a survey that aims to find out how people with COPD feel about the words used to describe their condition by health professionals. The survey is available in 20 languages and has been developed by a group of patient advocates and healthcare professionals from ELF, the Lancet Commission on COPD and the COPD Foundation. The anonymous patient feedback from the survey will be published in 2021 in The Lancet. ERS asks health professionals who care for people with COPD to share the survey with their patients.

 Access and share the survey with your patients

ERS invites all interested members and colleagues to take part in the free upcoming MEP lung health group event, 'Air pollution and COVID-19 - Clearing the air and charting a post-pandemic course'. The meeting is organised jointly by ERS, the Health Effects Institute and the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology and will take place virtually on 2 December, 2020 from 16:00-17:30 CET. Several guest speakers with expertise in epidemiology, environment and public health will present and take part in a virtual roundtable during the event.

 Learn more and register for free

The minutes of the 2020 ERS General Assembly meeting are now available to view online. The General Assembly is the body responsible for adapting the statutes of the society, deciding the annual membership fees, reviewing proposed amendments to the ERS Constitution and By-Laws and checking and approving the accounts.

 Catch up on the meeting and access the minutes





 

An upcoming live webinar will summarise current knowledge of the pulmonary vascular complications caused by COVID-19 and its consequences in patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension. Chaired by ERS President Prof. Anita Simonds and ERS President Elect Prof. Marc Humbert, the webinar will take place on 7 December and consist of three lectures followed by a short discussion on each.

 Learn more and register for free

A recording of a recent joint webinar between ERS and the American Thoracic Society (ATS) is now available to view online. The webinar, which was chaired by ERS Past President Prof. Thierry Troosters and Chair of the ATS Pulmonary Rehabilitation Assembly Prof. Anne Holland, discusses the findings of an international task force studying rehabilitation after COVID-19.

 Watch the webinar

Abstracts from this year's ERS Congress are now available online as a supplement to the European Respiratory Journal. All abstracts are free to access and can be cited as references in publications, with the option of browsing by topic area or professional speciality.

 Access the ERS Congress abstracts





 

The ERS Bookshop has now reopened to customers worldwide and is stocked with the full range of ERS books, including the latest ERS Monographs and Handbooks. Most ERS books include a unique code that also allows you to download a copy of the ebook, and if you order five or more books, shipping is free! Shipping times may be a few days longer than usual due to intermittent disruption. The latest information about ERS books and shipping can be found at ersbookshop.com.

 Visit the ERS Bookshop

An upcoming webinar will focus on the WHO End TB Strategy and the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection through routine tests as well as newly approved or still experimental tests. Chaired by Prof. Raquel Duarte and featuring guest speaker Dr Delia Goletti, the webinar will take place on 12 January, 2020 and consist of a lecture followed by case presentations.

 Learn more and register for free

Did you know that recordings of live ERS webinars are added to ERS's e-learning website? Catch up now on some of the latest webinars, which cover inhaled antimicrobials, models and tools for COVID-19 research, sleep breathing disorders in the era of COVID-19 and lots more.

 Access all ERS webinar recordings


 

We're delighted to share that ERS is now accepting submissions for ERS Task Force proposals. The call provides an opportunity for groups of ERS members to receive funding for the development of Clinical Practice Guidelines, Statements and Technical Standards, which are important documents that contribute to refining medical care and improving patient experiences. The submission deadline is 1 February, 2021. Please note this is the only opportunity to submit ERS Task Force proposals in 2021.

 Find out more and submit an ERS Task Force proposal
 

ERS President Elect Prof. Marc Humbert and outgoing ERS Advocacy Council Chair Prof. J?rgen Vestbo have been included in the Clinical Medicine award category of the 2020 Highly Cited Researchers list. The list is published annually by the Web of Science Group, and it recognises scientists and researchers who have demonstrated significant influence through publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade. ERS extends its congratulations to Profs Humbert and Vestbo for this achievement.

 Access the full list of Highly Cited Researchers 2020
 

The European Commission has announced plans for a new Pharmaceutical Strategy for Europe, which it claims will ensure patients have access to innovative and affordable medicines and support the competitiveness, innovative capacity and sustainability of the EU''s pharmaceutical industry. ERS welcomes this strategy as it promises to future-proof Europe and create a more resilient EU using a patient-centred strategy.

 Read the full news summary

 

The European Environment Agency''s (EEA) ''Air quality in Europe - 2020 report'' published last week shows that better air quality has led to a significant reduction of premature deaths over the past decade in Europe. However, the report warns that almost all Europeans still suffer due to exposure to air pollution, leading to around 400,000 premature deaths across the continent and highlighting that further efforts are needed to improve air quality and protect health. 

 Access the EEA report 
 Learn about the Healthy Lungs for Life campaign

The European Lung Foundation (ELF) and European Bronchiectasis Registry (EMBARC) have launched a survey to learn more about the experiences of people with bronchiectasis in the diagnosis and treatment of the condition. The survey is available in multiple languages and has been developed by bronchiectasis healthcare experts and patients with bronchiectasis from across Europe. ERS asks health professionals who care for people with bronchiectasis to share the survey with their patients and carers.

 Learn more and share with your patients 


 

The Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 (IMI2) 3TR project has launched a survey to understand how people with severe asthma feel about the tools used to check if a treatment is working for individual patients. Developed by a group of patient representatives, healthcare professionals and researchers from the 3TR project, the survey has been translated into multiple languages and is open to people who have severe asthma or those who are a parent or carer of someone with severe asthma. ERS asks health professionals who care for people with severe asthma to share the survey with their patients and carers.

 Learn more and share with your patients

An upcoming live webinar will discuss the effects and impact of COVID-19 on the treatment of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and provide updates on new concepts surrounding the disease. Chaired by ERS Vice President Prof. Carlos Robalo Cordeiro and with expert speakers Profs Maria Molina Molina and Marlies Wijsenbeek, the webinar will take place on 21 December and consist of three lectures followed by a short discussion on each.

 Learn more and register for free

The forthcoming ERS Monograph on Supporting Tobacco Cessation is now available to pre-order. This Monograph provides a comprehensive overview of tobacco cessation, from health policy to patient care. Broad in scope, this state-of-the-art collection is broken down into four sections: the changing landscape of the tobacco epidemic and challenges to curb it; treatment of tobacco dependence; improving the care of patients with particular conditions who smoke; and prevention. It also deals with some of the more controversial topics, such as e-cigarettes and web applications. Readers will gain an understanding of how to implement smoking cessation into their everyday practice, and will also expand their knowledge about the policy and system changes needed for population-wide smoking cessation.

 Pre-order before 23 December and receive a ?10 discount

The ERS Monograph on Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease has now been published. This Monograph provides the general respiratory physician with a working reference based on the latest literature and expert opinion. The book features chapters on: the epidemiology of occupational and environmental lung diseases; specific occupational lung diseases, which ask key questions and provide a clear clinical focus; and respiratory symptoms associated with outdoor and indoor non-workplace environments.

 Order your print copy
 Read online or buy the eBook