Call to reduce the four million deaths annually, from a condition responsible for more fatalities globally than AIDS1 ROME, June 11 2009 – The World Health Organisation (WHO) and European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases (EFA) today announced that they are bringing together over 150 international delegates to discuss the growing epidemic of Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRD) that affects one billion people worldwide1,32, and is responsible for four million deaths annually. The conference which will discuss the implementation of a five-year initiative to unite policy makers, providers and patient groups will be hosted by the Italian Ministry of Health in Rome on June 12 and 13. EFA and the WHO Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) are working for and with respiratory disease patients for a world where everyone breathes freely. The conference will look into the role of patient organisations and the implementation of the GARD Action Plan 2008-2013 within the framework of the WHO’s Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2008-2013. The action plan shows that there is a clear need for collaboration between health policy makers, providers and patient organisations to improve care and the environment and the integration of health concerns into all policies4. By joining forces of European patient associations through EFA with GARD, this major alliance has become a global influence through a strong united patients’ voice in all five continents. Presenting at the conference will be leading respiratory expert, Jean Bousquet, Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at the University of Montpellier and Chairman of WHO GARD: “The burden of allergy, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Europe and the rest of world is such that the cost of inaction is unacceptable and the WHO has recognised the enormous human suffering from chronic respiratory diseases, and are therefore making CRD one of its priorities between 2008-13.” Marianella Salapatas, Acting President, EFA: “Our overall message to policy makers and the new European Parliament and Commission is that chronic respiratory diseases such as allergy, asthma and COPD are public health problems and we therefore need innovative and comprehensive strategies and collaboration, including with patient organisations, to fight against and improve care and the environment.” Italian MEP Cristina Muscardini will be contributing to the opening presentations: “In the EU, chronic respiratory diseases are significant public health issues despite the availability of treatment options and in some cases, prevention strategies. EU Health Strategy needs to take the burden on chronic respiratory diseases into consideration.” One billion people in the world currently suffer from CRDs1,, 23and every year four million people die as a result, a figure higher than for deaths related to other global diseases such as AIDS. The fact that this epidemic is on the rise4 and that every person in the world is exposed to the risk factors of CRD5,,, 678has been the key motivator to bring together delegates from around the world to attend this important conference.