The conference theme was "Shared air, safe air" reflecting the close relationship between clean air and lung health and need to address the threats from airborne disease, secondhand smoke and air pollution. The 182 scientific sessions included plenary sessions, symposia, post-graduate courses, workshops and more. Over 700 posters were presented by researchers from around the world.
"The record turn-out and the high quality of sessions demonstrate both the vitality of The Union and the increasing visibility of lung health as a health indicator. Today we face not only the urgent need to address diseases, such as TB, MDR-TB and HIV, but also global issues, such as the health impact of indoor air pollution, secondhand smoke and the new e-cigarettes", says José Luis Castro, Interim Executive Director of The Union.
Conference highlights:
• A wide range of sessions presented new approaches to tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant TB treatment (MDR-TB), including bedaquiline, the first new drug approved for TB in 40 years, and a shortened 9-month MDR-TB regimen that has demonstrated an 88% treatment success rate.
• A plenary panel discussion on tobacco control in Africa featured Léné Segbo, Minister of Health, Burkina Faso; and Elioda Tumwesigye, Honorable Minister of State for General Duties, Uganda.
• A TB-HIV late-breaker session presented the latest research on the this co-epidemic.
• Plenary sessions addressed air pollution, child pneumonia and the "forgotten epidemic" of asthma.
• The Union released an official statement calling for regulation of e-cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).
Webcasts of all sessions will be available soon on the conference site.
View daily slide shows and short videos.
Join us in Barcelona, Spain from 28 October to 1 November 2014 for the 45th Union World Conference on Lung Health.