Spotlight on the European Respiratory Society (ERS)

Who are we?

Founded in 1990, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) is a not-for-profit, international medical organisation dedicated to lung health and respiratory disease. It is the largest society of its kind in Europe.

Who do we represent?

The ERS represents 9,000 respiratory professionals worldwide. Doctors make up the majority of the society’s members, but other categories also include nurses, physiotherapists and scientists. Members join to take advantage of the numerous educational and scientific activities arranged by the society and also benefit from the representation of their professional interests amongst government and other important organisations.

What is our mission?

With members in over 100 countries, the European Respiratory Society (ERS) aims to alleviate suffering from respiratory disease and to promote lung health through research, knowledge sharing, medical and public education.

What do we do?

First held in 1991, the ERS Annual Congress is Europe’s largest annual scientific gathering in the field of respiratory medicine. With huge increases each year, attendance now stands at around 18,000 delegates - making this the biggest respiratory congresses in the world. Every year, the congress follows a proven set-structure. Constructed around the main scientific programme, there are innumerable presentations, educational courses, practical workshops, symposia and discussions that run in parallel and the whole programme is conducted in English to guarantee an international audience.

In 2001, the ERS opened its School to encourage training and provide continuous medical education in the field of respiratory medicine. ’Breathe’, the school’s official educational journal, supplies up-to-date information on topics of interest to pneumologists, general practitioners and allied health professionals. Educational courses that run throughout Europe are popular with large and small audiences alike and the society is heavily involved with e-learning as part of its continuing educational programme.

The ERS encourage research and training through an extensive fellowship programme, supporting every year over 25 awardees in Europe.

How do you get involved?

In 2003, the ERS opened an office in Brussels to keep abreast of developments and funding opportunities within the European Union. With so many of their members living in the EU it is important that new European legislation reflects the aims of the ERS, and at the same time, that the activities of the society are guided by some of the decisions made by the EU. The society’s Brussels office helps track, and influence, new legislative proposals that are of interest to ERS members and provides an exchange of information between the society, other EU organisations and politicians.

Dedicated to boosting public and political awareness on the importance of lung health, the ERS has also been actively involved in the anti-smoking campaign and has lobbied for smoke free zones.

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Contact details

For any further information please click here

European Respiratory Society, 4, Av. Ste-Luce, 1003 Lausanne, Switzerland, Tel: +41 21 213 0110 Fax: +41 21 213 0103

49-51 rue de Trèves, Floor 7B, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium, Tel +32 2 238 5360, Fax +32 2 238 536.

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