Good afternoon,
We are writing to share an abridged version of the IPCRG newsletter for August 2026, published late last week.
IPCRG August 2026 newsletter
http://www.ipcrg.org
Dear IPCRG colleague,
As the focus for WHO and many countries moves from supporting the Lung Health Resolution to implementation questions, the important role for primary care becomes ever clearer. This month's newsletter encourages you to share your research and learning at the next Scientific Meeting in Oxford; to read more about current projects that are now reporting, such as FRESHAIR4Life; to support colleagues sharing their findings at ERS and to engage with our Right Care programmes that offer tools for everyday clinical practice.
CONFERENCES
http://ipcrg.org/oxford2027
Save the date: 9th IPCRG Scientific Meeting in Oxford, United Kingdom - 19-20 April
As we reflect on the success of our 13th World Conference in Tunis in June, we are excited to announce that our 9th Scientific Meeting (http://ipcrg.org/oxford2027) will take place in Oxford, United Kingdom from 19-20 April 2027, hosted by our UK group PCRS in partnership with CARRii. We hope to see many researchers, especially early career, at this meeting. The key dates for you to save are:
* 26 September 2026: Conference website, registration and abstract submission opens to coincide with PCRS Respiratory Conference 2026
* 1 December 2026: Early deadline for those wanting earlier results to assist visa applications (decision notified by 18 December)
* 11 January 2027: Main abstract deadline (decision notified by 27 January)
* Sunday 18 April 2027: Provisional date for IPCRG Research School (more information tba)
* Monday and Tuesday 19-20 April 2027: 9th IPCRG Scientific Meeting
We look forward to sharing more information in the future. For now, add the conference dates to your calendar using the links below:
http://ipcrg.org/tunis2026
Tunis 2026 evaluation
Our 13th biennial World Conference (http://ipcrg.org/tunis2026) on our 25th year was held in Africa for the first time, in Tunis. Also for the first time, it was accompanied by a multidisciplinary respiratory forum, attracting pulmonologists as well as primary care colleagues and reflecting the local context. It met its objective of being our most interactive conference yet, illustrated by 17 well-received workshops and 4 conversation cafes, and it stimulated interest in primary respiratory care in a new region by attracting nearly 100 local delegates. We welcomed:
* Presenters from 19 countries
* 119 abstracts from 30 countries
* Over 375 delegates from 42 countries
Feedback from those who attended and presented showed that delegates were attracted by the opportunity to update their knowledge and skills in respiratory diseases and were keen to network with, present to and learn from a global multidisciplinary community. The evaluation data shows that all delegates found the conference programme to be useful and of good quality, with particular praise reserved for the wide range of interactive workshops, their practical approach, and the opportunity the programme presented to share knowledge with a diverse community of experts. We hope to see you all again in Oxford, United Kingdom for our 2027 Scientific Meeting!
PUBLICATIONS
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41533-026-00549-8
IPCRG systemic corticosteroid use survey results paper accepted for publication
Global perceptions and practices on systemic corticosteroid use for asthma and COPD in primary care: results from a multinational survey on prescribers and community pharmacists. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41533-026-00549-8)
Franceschini, J., Williams, S., Fitch, N. et al. npj Prim. Care Respir. Med. (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41533-026-00549-8
The results of our global survey asking 'How do primary healthcare professionals (PCPs) globally perceive and use systemic corticosteroids (SCS) for asthma and COPD?' have been accepted for publication in npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine (https://www.nature.com/npjpcrm/) with an early access version now available.
Systemic corticosteroids (SCS) are widely used in asthma and COPD management despite evidence of significant adverse effects associated with their misuse/overuse. This study used a cross-sectional study among 376 participants across 41 countries to assess global perceptions and practices regarding SCS prescribing and dispensing among healthcare professionals in primary care settings. The survey's findings demonstrate an ongoing discrepancy between guideline recommendations and practices which may contribute to avoidable patient safety risks, underscoring the need for enhanced stewardship, improved access to inhaled steroid therapies, and the adoption of Right Care strategies promoting appropriate use of SCS. It will also be npjPCRM's first publication with a new visual summary, providing a quick overview of the study, outcomes, findings, what the study adds, and recommendations.
EDUCATION
https://www.ipcrg.org/freshair4life-empowering-greek-university-students...
FRESHAIR4Life: Empowering Greek university students to choose a smoke-free life
IPCRG has been supporting the campaign development of the five country teams in the Horizon and UKRI funded FRESHAIR4Life (http://freshair4life.org) implementation research programme. A five-month digital media campaign led by the University of Crete has successfully reached hundreds of thousands of young people across Greece, promoting the life-changing benefits of a smoke-free and vape-free life. The digital campaign targeted university students to encourage active quitting and raise awareness of local cessation resources, and used methods of myth-busting, highlighting the rewards of quitting, and providing actionable support. Read the full article here (https://www.ipcrg.org/freshair4life-empowering-greek-university-students...) .
https://www.ipcrg.org/freshair4life/curriculum/10-very-brief-advice-vba
FRESHAIR4Life: role-play video collection of VBA (Very Brief Advice) scenarios
IPCRG has led the FRESHAIR4Life (http://www.freshair4life.org/) project’s capacity-building activities, training many participating teams on the interventions implemented during the research. All educational materials developed through the project will be published by the end of 2026 as a new digital curriculum featuring more than six hours of content to support clinicians and educators in developing adolescent-focused activities to prevent tobacco use and air pollution exposure. As a preview of what we have developed, we recently shared a collection of role-play videos of Very Brief Advice (VBA) scenarios, which are now available as individual videos here (https://www.ipcrg.org/freshair4life/curriculum/10-very-brief-advice-vba) . The approach of these structured models has been recently recommended in a new review on tobacco cessation strategies for low- and middle-income countries published in the New England Journal of Medicine (https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMra2507061) by one
of the FRESHAIR4Life co-investigators, Kamran Siddiqi, and colleagues.
RESEARCH
https://www.ipcrg.org/research/research-collaborations/stakeholder-and-c...
New webpage: Stakeholder and community engagement
IPCRG has spent over a decade building the trust between researchers, patients, communities, health workers and policymakers that turns respiratory health evidence into practice across South Asia, Latin America, Europe and Africa. We engage in research collaborations and support partners to design, implement and monitor that same kind of engagement, from a project's first stakeholder map to the policy change it seeks to produce. This new web page outlines our four-stage approach, our champion model, where we've put this into practice and how this feeds into global advocacy for primary care and respiratory health. It contains our brand new publication Challenges and facilitators for meaningful and impactful stakeholder engagement in global health research (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42496084/) . For more information, click here (https://www.ipcrg.org/research/research-collaborations/stakeholder-and-c...) .
https://www.ipcrg.org/research/ghrn-publications
GHRN publications update
The Global Health Respiratory Network (https://www.ipcrg.org/research/research-collaborations/global-health-res...) was set up in 2019 by UK-funded global health respiratory research teams as a meta-collaboration to advance progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, identify synergies between partners across LMICs and undertake foundational work for future programmes. Coordinated by IPCRG, it continues to build networks, share experience and offer mutual support. We have recently updated the cumulative list of publications by the network, which is available here (https://www.ipcrg.org/research/ghrn-publications) .
CHANGE PROGRAMMES
https://www.ipcrg.org/asthma-right-care-update-august-2026
Implementation updates from our Asthma Right Care movement
Our multi-national Asthma Right Care Delivery Team gathered for its quarterly meeting in July to review the implications of guideline updates, upcoming initiatives and share updates on local activities as part of the unfolding social movement. The group also discussed the movement's key metrics for success and how to scale up teaching initiatives and develop new resources. Click here (https://www.ipcrg.org/asthma-right-care-update-august-2026) for the full overview and here (https://www.ipcrg.org/rightcare/asthma-right-care/asthma-right-care-news) for previous updates.
https://www.ipcrg.org/rightcare/copd-right-care/copd-right-care-resource...
COPD self-management infographics: Russian translations
As part of the development of our COPD Magazine (http://www.ipcrg.org/copdmagazine) , which was produced for primary care to offer to people with COPD to support their self-management, we created a collection of infographics. They provide practical guidance for managing breathlessness and adapting portion sizes for easier breathing and better nutrition, and explain key concepts around energy levels and physical activity. We are pleased to share Russian translations of this collection, created by our Kyrgyz team, which are available here (https://www.ipcrg.org/rightcare/copd-right-care/copd-right-care-resource...) . If you would like to help translate these resources into a new language, please get in touch (mailto:projectsupport@ipcrg.org?subject=COPD%20infographics%20translation) .
JOURNAL
https://www.nature.com/npjpcrm/
Editor's choice
Health literacy-sensitive self-management interventions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41533-026-00539-w)
Chen C, Zhan M, Zhang H. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med. 2026 Jul 13;36(1):49.
Diagnostic adequacy of COPD in primary care: a population-based analysis of spirometry use and risk-factor documentation. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41533-026-00525-2)
Fonte APGRD, Domingues IG, Barbosa BAMDC, Ferreira CAP, Mollen TV, Correia de Sousa AJB. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med. 2026 Jul 6.
The European respiratory society guideline for adult bronchiectasis 2025: summary and implementation guide for primary care. (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41533-026-00528-z)
Mosgrove F, Kocks JW, Kompatsiari E, Timothy A, Hedberg T, Long MB, Aliberti S, Chalmers JD. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med. 2026 Jun 8.
Notice of fraudulent emails
We have been notified of a number of fraudulent emails received by members of our network, claiming to be sent by our journal's Editor-in-Chief and other members of the editorial board in an attempt to solicit money or payments. Please note that these emails are not legitimate and that our team would never ask board members, authors, reviewers or colleagues to send money or make payments on their behalf. If you receive an email that you are not sure about, please contact us (mailto:businessmanager@ipcrg.org) to verify.
CLIMATE ACTION
https://www.ipcrg.org/practical-tips-keeping-cool-and-staying-safe-extre...
Practical tips for keeping cool and staying safe in extreme heat
We know people with asthma and COPD struggle more than most in hot conditions. The Guardian newspaper has curated a list of tips for keeping cool in a heatwave and avoiding potential harms of sun and heat exposure. We have abridged the guidance here (https://www.ipcrg.org/practical-tips-keeping-cool-and-staying-safe-extre...) - share these tips with your patients and networks to start a conversation about keeping cool, and share your own methods with us!
IPCRG
https://www.ipcrg.org/celebrating-25-years-ipcrg-pictures
IPCRG 25th anniversary: Celebrating 25 years in pictures - online gallery
Earlier this year, we launched the IPCRG photo challenge, where we invited members of our community to share photos that reflect who we are, what we do and the moments that have shaped us over the past 25 years. The top photos were showcased at our 13th World Conference in June, and now they are available in an online gallery accessible here (https://www.ipcrg.org/celebrating-25-years-ipcrg-pictures) . If you find any other photos, do send them in!
https://www.ipcrg.org/associate-members-invited-supporters
IPCRG welcomes two new Associate Members: Invited Supporters
We are delighted to welcome Erol Gaillard (https://www.ipcrg.org/erol-gaillard) and Juan Trujillo (https://www.ipcrg.org/professor-juan-trujillo) as 'Associate Members: Invited Supporters' (https://www.ipcrg.org/associate-members-invited-supporters) . This position acknowledges the contributions and collaborations with colleagues who work with primary care. There is a need to increase the confidence and competence of primary care in a range of areas including allergy and paediatrics, and the contributions of our Invited Supporters have been highly valued.
EVENTS
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-patient-safety-day/2026
World Patient Safety Day 2026: safe care for noncommunicable diseases
World Patient Safety Day 2026 takes place on 17 September with a focus on noncommunicable diseases, calling for action to ensure that no one is harmed while receiving care for NCDs. Primary care has a key role in keeping people with long-term conditions safe - doing the right things at the right time, and avoiding unnecessary or harmful care. This complements our new publication (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41533-026-00549-8) on systemic steroid overuse for asthma and COPD in primary care (see above for more information). In the week leading up to 17 September, we will be sharing our key messages and our infographic on "the prevention continuum" - stay tuned. Get involved on the day with the tags #SafeRespiratoryCare and #WorldPatientSafetyDay.
https://www.ipcrg.org/ipcrg-ers-2026
IPCRG sessions at ERS 2026
IPCRG colleagues will be attending and presenting at the upcoming European Respiratory Society 2026 congress in Barcelona, Spain from 5-9 September. We will also have a stand in the World Village area, where you can meet IPCRG colleagues and learn about and collect copies of our key practical resources. Click here (https://www.ipcrg.org/ipcrg-ers-2026) for a summary of IPCRG-related sessions. Let us know if you have an session that we've missed, and make sure to say hello if you are attending!
https://www.ipcrg.org/conferences/30th-wonca-europe-conference
IPCRG at WONCA Europe
Making Sense of COPD, IPCRG's practical workshop on COPD Right Care first delivered at WONCA's 2025 conference, returned in 2026. The workshop was packed with very positive feedback, with materials such as the COPD Wheel (https://www.ipcrg.org/copdwheel) and Question & Challenge Cards (https://www.ipcrg.org/rightcare/copd-right-care/copd-right-care-resource...) being demonstrated and distributed. Click here (https://www.ipcrg.org/conferences/30th-wonca-europe-conference) for images from the event. WONCA Europe 2027 (https://www.woncaeurope2027.org/) will take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia from 9-12 June 2027 - save the dates!
NETWORK
https://globalasthmareport.org/
Global Asthma Report 2026: country stories
The Global Asthma Network has published the Global Asthma Report 2026: Country Stories, which gives people with asthma from around the world a platform to tell their stories by focusing on countries. A key theme running through these countries' stories is the need to address access for affordable care for everyone with asthma, resonating with the theme for World Asthma Day 2026: Access to anti-inflammatory inhalers for everyone with asthma. Click here (https://globalasthmareport.org/) for the full report.
https://www.pcrs-uk.org/resource/current/pcrs-position-statement-short-t...
PCRS position statement: avoidable respiratory admissions
The Primary Care Respiratory Society, IPCRG's UK member group, has published a position statement on the need to reduce avoidable short term respiratory admissions. It stresses that while some short‑term admissions are clinically necessary, many could be prevented through better community support, improved integration between services, and timely follow‑up for people living with chronic respiratory conditions. Read the full position statement with clear calls to action here (https://www.pcrs-uk.org/resource/current/pcrs-position-statement-short-t...) .
Go to www.ipcrg.org (https://www.ipcrg.org/) to find out more about IPCRG, a charity working locally in primary care and collaborating globally to improve respiratory health so we can achieve our vision of a global population breathing and feeling well through universal access to right care.
With our best wishes,
Cláudia Vicente
President IPCRG
Siân Williams
CEO IPCRG
To view previous editions of the IPCRG newsletter, click here (https://us18.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=b5f8a0916464fec7ab796ce13&id=2...) .
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The International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) is a charity registered in Scotland working internationally (SC No: 035056) and a company limited by guarantee (Company number 256268)
The IPCRG is the Respiratory Special Interest Group of WONCA Europe and an Organisation in Collaborative Relations with WONCA Global
The IPCRG is the primary care representative on WHO-Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) Planning Executive
Supporter of the NCD Alliance
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HIFA profile: Joe Casson works in Project Support at International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG), United Kingdom. Professional interests: Respiratory health; Global healthcare; Primary care. projectsupport AT ipcrg.org