ERS Creates New Conference to Bridge Respiratory Policy and Practice

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) has created a brand-new annual conference designed to turn research and policy into action for people living with respiratory disease. The Respiratory Impact Conference 2026 will take place on 25 and 26 June in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, marking a significant addition to the ERS events portfolio.

The conference brings together a broad mix of stakeholders, clinicians, researchers, educators, policymakers, and health innovators with a shared focus on real-world implementation rather than purely scientific exchange. Sessions will explore how scientific advances, guideline recommendations, and high-level policy initiatives can be translated into routine care, covering implementation science, digital health delivery, and equitable access to quality respiratory care.

Hilary Pinnock, Conference Chair and ERS Education Council Chair, described the event as timely, citing growing policy interest in respiratory care following UN resolutions and a WHO Europe report calling for action in the aftermath of the pandemic and in the face of the increasing global burden of respiratory non-communicable diseases. The call for abstracts covering health service delivery, applied and implementation science, and quality improvement ran until early March. Registration is open and full details are available on the ERS website.