The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA) launched its policy recommendation on World COPD Day to reduce the 32.8 billion EUR that are currently spent every year for COPD, and to improve the lives of ca. 44 million COPD patients in Europe.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) also referred to as ‘the anonymous killer’ is not reversible and cannot be cured. With time the disease worsens and gradually limits patient’s ability to breathe. The patient’s organs and muscles subsequently receive less and less oxygen and slowly but steadily suffocate. About 40% of COPD patients suffer from depression and the disease is related to significant comorbidities.

Even though COPD is regularly misconceived as a disease that only affects male pensioners, there are as many COPD patients below the age of 65, as over 65 years, with a particular rise in prevalence in women. A subsequent loss in productivity in those affected by the disease adds substantially to the costs of COPD.

According to estimations by the World Health Organization’s chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a disease virtually unknown amongst the general public as well as amongst many primary care healthcare professionals, is said to rise to become the third leading cause of mortality by 2020. As there is no cure, prevention, a timely diagnosis and therapies tailored to patients’ needs are crucial to ensure that sufferers are able to contribute to society whilst enjoying a good quality of life for as long as possible.

EFA’s recommendations

The EFA’s recommendations are the outcome of two COPD workshops in the European Parliament that took place on 29 June and 9 November. The recommendations are widely supported by various institutions, such as the European Respiratory Society (ERS), the European Lung Foundation (ELF), the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) and co-hosted by MEPs Sean Kelly and Karin Kadenbach.

The recommendations include various measures to reduce the risk of COPD:

  • Enabling access to spirometry testing to all those at risk;
  • Fund research on ways to prevent exacerbations;
  • Support mobility of COPD sufferers on oxygen therapy
  • An explicit warning on all tobacco products naming COPD as a risk;
  • Improve the cooperation between patients, specialists and those working in primary care to ensure a patient-centered management that supports remaining active;
  • Encourage employers to adopt flexible approaches to allow those affected to remain in the work force;
  • Address COPD co-morbidities, such as depression;

As a measure of prevention for the estimated average of 10% Europeans who could be suffocating over the next decade, the EFA calls upon the EU and Member States to follow and implement the recommendations as soon as possible. Time is running out, and because tobacco is by far the most significant risk factor, smoking cessation policies are unquestionably important. However, Breda Flood, EFA President highlights that, “even if all smokers were to quit immediately, COPD would remain prevalent for decades to come. We hence need a timelier and more accurate diagnosis of COPD patients, as well as a better coordination between the health professionals involved, making the patient’s needs the centre of therapy efforts.”

Professor Jørgen Vestbo, Pulmonologist and Chair of the Scientific Committee of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, who models existing good practice to restrain EU health inequalities adds:

“The revised GOLD strategy document, adopted on 8 November in Shanghai, can help doctors understand and treat COPD better, improve the quality of life for patients and reduce the number and severity of exacerbations which are currently responsible for two third of the COPD-related costs. What is hence needed is GOLD’s implementation”.

COPD health inequalities are proclaimed to be in existence throughout the EU. Countries like Finland or Denmark have proven investments in COPD to be beneficial; The Finnish COPD program succeeded to restrain public COPD-related costs by 88% through a combination of smoking cessation policies, raising awareness of the general public, educating those working in primary care, and an increasing the availability of COPD testing. The cost for hospitalizations dropped dramatically from 34,607 in 1997 to 18,018 in 2007.

Karin Kadenbach MEP says in a concluding statement:

“The Finnish good practice example needs to be emulated throughout Europe. The EU has an obligation to ensure that health inequalities related to COPD are eradicated for the benefits of patients, but also with a view of curbing the societal burden of the disease.”

Written by Petra Rattue