Chronic respiratory diseases

Chronic respiratory diseases refer to the group of diseases that affect the airways or structures of the lungs. Among the most common ones are asthma and the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Risk factors for the development of these conditions include exposure to tobacco smoke, air pollution, and frequent respiratory infections, among others. Treatment options focus on the appropriate management of the inflammatory dimension of the disease and, when necessary, the dilation of airways in order to improve respiratory capacity and ultimately quality of life.

Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to provide evidence-based pharmacotherapeutic recommendations, educate on the correct use of inhalation devices and provide general advice on how to promote nasal and respiratory hygiene and mitigate the impact of risk factors through smoking cessation services and others.

Publications

Publications are presented in chronological order, from more recent to older. Please scroll down inside the grey area or using the scroll bar on its side to find more FIP publications.

Chronic respiratory diseases: A handbook for pharmacists (2022)

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals prioritise universal health coverage (UHC) and commit to reducing the impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as well as communicable diseases. This handbook is an important enabling tool to achieve those goals because it makes the case for the inclusion of care for chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) as part of UHC and demonstrates the important role pharmacists have in achieving this.

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Knowledge and skills reference guide for professional development in chronic respiratory diseases: A companion to the FIP chronic respiratory diseases handbook for pharmacists. (2022)

This knowledge and skills reference guide provides a comprehensive list of required knowledge and skills in pharmaceutical and related care to support pharmacists to develop, upskill and refresh knowledge in CRDs and related roles in pharmacy. The guide supplements the FIP handbook on CRDs for pharmacists and was developed in consultation with a global reference group.

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Enfermedades respiratorias crónicas: Manual para farmacéuticos (2022)

Los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de las Naciones Unidas dan prioridad a la cobertura sanitaria universal (CSU) y se comprometen a reducir el impacto de las enfermedades no transmisibles (ENT), así como de las enfermedades transmisibles. Este manual es una herramienta importante para alcanzar esos objetivos, ya que defiende la inclusión de la atención de las enfermedades respiratorias crónicas (ERC) como parte de la cobertura sanitaria universal y demuestra el importante papel que desempeñan los farmacéuticos para lograrlo.

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Guía de referencia de conocimientos y habilidades para el desarrollo profesional en enfermedades respiratorias crónicas: Un complemento del manual de enfermedades respiratorias crónicas. (2022)

Esta guía de referencia de conocimientos y habilidades proporciona una lista exhaustiva de los conocimientos y habilidades necesarios en la atención farmacéutica y afines para ayudar a los farmacéuticos a desarrollar, mejorar y actualizar sus conocimientos sobre las enfermedades respiratorias crónicas y las funciones afines en farmacia. La guía complementa el manual de la FIP sobre enfermedades respiratorias crónicas para farmacéuticos y fue desarrollada en consulta con un grupo de referencia global.

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慢性呼吸道疾病 药师手册 (2022)

联合国可持续发展目标将全民健康保险 (UHC) 作为优先事项,并承诺减少非传染性疾病 (NCD) 和传染性疾病的影响。本手册是实现这些目标的重要辅助工具,因为它提出了将慢性呼吸系统疾病 (CRD) 护理作为全民健康覆盖 (UHC) 一部分的理由,并展示了药剂师在实现这一目标中的重要作用。

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慢性呼吸系统疾病专业发展知识和技能参考指南 《FIP慢性呼吸道疾病药师手册》的配套资料 (2022)

本知识与技能参考指南全面列出了药学及相关护理所需的知识与技能,以支持药剂师发展、提高和更新 CRDs 及相关药学职责方面的知识。本指南是对 FIP 药剂师 CRD 手册的补充,是在与全球参考小组协商后编写的。

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The global threat of air pollution and its impact on patient care: Supporting pharmacy practice and workforce development (2021)

This publication is a compilation of recommendations that arise from a series of roundtable discussions on the topic of air pollution and can support pharmacists in advancing their role in this area at local or national level.

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FIP Call to action on “Mobilising pharmacists in our communities to mitigate the impact of air pollution on health” (2021)

This call to action is based on the recommendations of a group of experts and encourages actions by various stakeholders to leverage pharmacists’ role in primary health care to improve respiratory health and wellbeing.

Arabic | Chinese | Spanish | French | Portuguese | Russian

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Mitigating the impact of air pollution on health: The role of community pharmacists (2020)

This global survey report aimed to gain better understanding of pharmacists’ awareness of the impact of air pollution on respiratory health and their current role in respiratory care.

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Beating non-communicable diseases in the community: The contribution of pharmacists (2019)

This reference paper provides global evidence to advocate, nationally and internationally, for an expanded role for pharmacists in NCD management by compiling best practices and examples. It also encourages pharmacists around the world to act upon NCDs.

Spanish | French | Turkish

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The role of pharmacists in non-communicable diseases (2019)

This FIP statement of policy renews the commitment of the profession to the optimal prevention, detection and care of patients living with NCDs. It replaces the 2006 FIP Policy Statement on the role of the pharmacist in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.

German | Spanish | French

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Establishing tobacco-free communities: A practical guide for pharmacists (2015)

This briefing document presents an overview of the different tobacco cessation activities pharmacists are involved in, and aims to support pharmacists to take an even more prominent role during the World No Tobacco Day, which is devoted to the international fight against tobacco.

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The Role of the Pharmacist in Promoting a Future Free of Tobacco (2003)

This statement supports and advocates for pharmacists to take relevant action to eliminate tobacco use in the communities that they serve.

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Events/Webinars

The role of the pharmacist in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

November 15, 2023

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common chronic respiratory disease that requires comprehensive care. Pharmacists have a role to play in the prevention, care and management of COPD. This event aims to highlight the key role of the pharmacist in COPD by providing insights into medication optimisation, inhaler technique and patient counselling. Participants will also learn about the COPD Right Care programme, a global social movement initiated by the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) to improve care for people with COPD, and also the Speak Up for COPD campaign, which aims to raise awareness and understanding of COPD among health and policy makers by amplifying the voices of patients, the COPD community and the public.

Moderator:
– Ema Paulino, President National Pharmacy Association (ANF), Portugal

Panellist:
– Tonya Winders, President & acting CEO of the Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP); Chair of Speak Up for COPD, USA
– Siân Williams, Chief Executive Officer, International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG), Registered in Scotland, working internationally
– Darush Attar-Zadeh, Clinical Fellow Respiratory Pharmacist North West London Integrated Care Board, RightBreathe, United Kingdom (England)
– Inês Nunes da Cunha, FIP Practice Development and Transformation Projects Manager FIP, The Netherlands

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Transforming pharmacy practice for improved care and management of chronic respiratory diseases

September 28, 2022

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are common chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) that affect millions of people worldwide. Pharmacists have a role to play in the prevention, care and management of CRD. FIP will be publishing a new handbook to support pharmacists and their organisations in providing a range of CRD-related services. This will be accompanied by a reference guide which identifies the knowledge and skills that pharmacists require for the provision of such services. Both publications will be launched at this event, and they are part of the FIP Practice Transformation Programme on Non-Communicable Diseases.

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Indoor air pollution and health: causes, management and self-care approaches

July 11, 2022

Overall Aim:
To support pharmacists to play a proactive role in respiratory management of the health impact of indoor air pollution by helping to address their practice and education needs to enable them provide better patient advice and self-care.

Learning objectives:
• Identify the sources of indoor air pollution and its increasing threat to health
• Understand the short- and long-term impact of indoor air pollution particularly on children
• Understand clinical, pharmacological, and non-pharmacological treatments including self-care measures to minimize the impact of air pollution on respiratory health
• Illustrate how advocacy can impact behavior change to support adoption of better self-care practices aimed at reducing health impact of air pollution.

Moderator:
– Lina Bader, FIP Lead for Equity, sustainability policy and development International Pharmaceutical Federation, Saudi Arabia

Facilitator:
– Nour Eltahla, FIP Projects Coordinator for Equity, sustainability policy and development International Pharmaceutical Federation, Saudi Arabia

Panelists:
– Lidia Morawska, Director International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (WHO CC for Air Quality and Health), Queensland University of Technology, Australia
– Gary WK Wong, Professor and honorary consultant, Department of Paediatrics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
– Tyler Knowlton, Director of Communications, Communities, and Partnerships Plume Labs, France

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Leveraging pharmacists to minimise the impact of air pollution on health: Policy barriers and drivers

September 7, 2021

There is an evolving role for community pharmacists, not only in reactive respiratory illness, but also in supporting proactive individual and community respiratory wellness. However, what needs to change in terms of policy and regulation for these roles to become part of mainstream pharmacy practice? This symposium marks the 2021 United Nations’ International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, by addressing the drivers and barriers for the full deployment of these services, and discuss the key points of the FIP call to action on this global health priority.

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Community pharmacy roles, services and tools to minimise impact of air pollution on health

August 12, 2021

Health systems and health care professionals are called upon to address and mitigate the impact of air pollution on people’s health and quality of life. This webinar provides examples of services that pharmacists can deliver to support better breathing.

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Delivering asthma right care: For hospital pharmacists

July 15, 2021

Asthma affects up to 1 in 10 people globally. Living well with asthma depends on avoiding triggers and using good, safe medicines in the right way at the right time. However, there is currently much sub-optimal use of medicines that can result in waste and harm including avoidable hospital attendances and admissions. Hospital pharmacists can be an important part of the asthma pathway and powerful change agents. This webinar provides updates on major changes in international guidelines that highlight asthma is an inflammatory condition and for safety no-one over 12 should be treated with a short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) alone without inhaled corticosteroids. You can hear from experts from the Asthma Right Care social movement about how to make impactful change happen in the provision of asthma care within secondary care settings.

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Delivering asthma right care: For community pharmacists

July 5, 2021

Asthma affects up to 1 in 10 people globally. Living well with asthma depends on avoiding triggers and using good, safe medicines in the right way at the right time. However, there is currently much sub-optimal use of medicine. Community pharmacy can be an important part of the asthma pathway and powerful change agents. This webinar will update on major changes in international guidelines that highlight asthma is an inflammatory condition and for safety no-one over 12 should be treated with a short-acting beta-agonist (SABA) alone without inhaled corticosteroids. You can hear from community pharmacists in the Asthma Right Care social movement about how to have impactful conversations about personal, national and international change and how to make it happen.

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Outdoor and indoor air pollution: short- and long-term impacts on health

June 15, 2021

Air pollution needs to be addressed urgently and not only as an environmental and ecological threat, but also as a direct threat to health. This webinar describes the multiple ways in which air pollution can be harmful to health. Understanding such impacts is essential so that professional services and interventions by pharmacists can be developed to address this global threat.

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The contribution of pharmacists in non-communicable diseases: Asthma and COPD

January 15, 2020

This webinar is the first in a series of 4 webinars exploring the contribution of pharmacists to improving the quality of life of individuals living with asthma and COPD.

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Partnerships

International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG)

The International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) is a clinically-led charitable organisation. Their scope is research and education to improve prevention, diagnosis and care of respiratory diseases in global community and primary care settings. FIP collaborated with IPCRG in promoting optimal care of asthma and COPD by pharmacists.

In 2021, FIP and IPCRG jointly delivered two webinars focused on asthma right care delivery in community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy settings. In 2022 the collaboration continued in the resources of the Practice Transformation Programme focusing on respiratory conditions.

Website:
https://www.ipcrg.org/

Speak Up for COPD

The SPEAK UP FOR COPD campaign is intended to raise awareness and understanding of COPD amongst policymakers and healthcare decision makers by amplifying the voices of patients, the COPD community and the public. Our one critical goal is to establish COPD as a public health priority.
Website:
https://www.speakupforcopd.com/

Boosting care for COPD patients

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has a significant negative impact on quality of life, yet is under-prioritised, underfunded and undertreated compared with other non-communicable diseases. In November, FIP was part of a coalition of healthcare professions and the pharmaceutical industry calling on governments and healthcare system leaders to recognise COPD as a public health priority, to address the significant burden that this disease places on patients and societies and to help ensure people living with COPD feel empowered to speak up. The joint declaration called for investment in quality COPD services and national respiratory strategies (similar to national programmes foroncology and diabetes) to support public health interventions and health service transformation, while measuring progress against the Sustainable Development Goals. A recent Lancet Commission noted that factors such as air pollution are likely to overtake tobacco smoking as the leading cause of COPD. In 2022, FIP continued to raise awareness of pharmacists’ roles in reducing the health impact of pollution through two digital events.

 

LINK https://www.politico.eu/…/it-is-time-to-make-copd-a…/  

https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/COPD

 

QUOTE: “FIP’s endorsement of the Speak Up for COPD Joint Declaration holds great value as it demonstrates commitment by the pharmacy profession to work with patient advocates, clinicians and other stakeholders to address the burden of COPD on a global scale. The endorsement also provides a strong message to policymakers, highlighting the importance of COPD as a public health issue, and the need for sustained action and investment in research and treatment. We are thrilled to welcome FIP as partners in the Speak Up for COPD coalition.” — Tonya Winders, president and CEO, Global Allergy and Airways Patient Platform and Speak Up for COPD coalition chair

The Clean Breathing Institute (TCBI)

FIP and The Clean Breathing Institute (TCBI) initiated a collaboration in 2019 to discuss and support the role that pharmacists may play in mitigating the impact of air pollution on health and providing counselling and care to patients in this area. This collaboration has resulted in a number of events including four experts roundtable on air pollution and three webinars exploring the role of pharmacists in mitigating the impact of air pollution.

Website: https://www.thecleanbreathinginstitute.com/

External resources

Why Speak Up for COPD Video (2023)

Call to action short film featuring policymakers, NGO and PAG leaders on why it’s time to Speak Up for COPD.

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Speak Up for COPD

The Speak up for COPD campaign is intended to raise awareness and understanding of COPD amongst policymakers and healthcare decision makers by amplifying the voices of patients, the COPD community and the public. Our one critical goal is to establish COPD as a public health priority.

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Speak Up for COPD – Video of the campaign

Speak Up for COPD is a coalition of advocates, clinicians and industry partners united in a common goal to bring urgent attention to the impact of COPD and establish it as a public health priority.

Through our work, we are calling for wider recognition of the societal and economic impact of COPD and to advance policies that effectively address its growing burden across the world.

We are speaking up to amplify the voices of people living with COPD, who frequently face stigma associated with smoking, as well as other socioeconomic factors, that may minimise the strength of their own voices.

Greater recognition of the impact of COPD is needed amongst healthcare providers to achieve better standards of care, which includes a holistic approach with improved access to effective treatments.

 

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Understanding Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

The “Breathe in the truth about COPD” infographic serves as a powerful call to action, spotlighting the urgent need for heightened awareness and prioritization of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD, a pervasive health concern, indiscriminately affects individuals of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds across the globe.

Despite its widespread impact, COPD often finds itself in the shadows – under-prioritized, underfunded, and undertreated. This is particularly true among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations and countries, where the disease burden is most heavily felt.

 This infographic is the product of a dedicated multi-stakeholder campaign coalition, Speak Up for COPD, consisting of advocacy and industry partners, united in the mission to amplify the voices of patients and the COPD community.  By engaging policymakers and healthcare decision-makers, we strive to shape a future where COPD receives the critical attention it deserves.

 Join us in this important cause and help us breathe new life into the fight against COPD.

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Making COPD a public health priority starts here: understanding the condition

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an increasingly important threat to the public and health systems around the world, yet is often overlooked as a significant public health issue.

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