European Lung Foundation
Close
Close
European Lung Foundation
European Lung Foundation

Home » ELF events at ERS Congress 2026

Congress

ELF events at ERS Congress 2026

The European Respiratory Society’s annual Congress (ERS Congress 2026) has a record level of patient involvement, with patients helping to shape around 90 congress sessions. This page features all sessions that involve or are of interest to patients, carers and advocacy organisations. Browse the programme below and register to attend.

19/08/2026

Content Table

Content Table

From 5–9 September 2026, you can explore events featuring patients, carers and advocacy organisations as chairs, speakers or sharing their experiences. All times are in CEST and links are included to the official ERS Congress 2026 programme. Many sessions will be livestreamed, so please check the ERS Congress programme for the latest information.

Register for the ERS Congress

 

Note on ‘invitation only’ sessions

Some events at ERS Congress 2026 are invite-only. These include Task Force and Clinical Research Collaboration (CRC) meetings and project-specific meetings. If you are required for any of these meetings, you should have received an invite and instructions to join.

Task Force meetings bring together experts to develop guidelines, statements and other similar projects.

Clinical Research Collaboration (CRC) meetings are gatherings of ERS-funded networks that focus on collaborative research projects across Europe.

Opportunities every day

Visit the ELF stand in the World Village 

Meet the ELF team, patient representatives and partners, learn about current projects and discover opportunities to get involved.

The ELF social hour

Join us each afternoon from 15:00 to 16:00 on 6, 7 and 8 September at the ELF stand for refreshments, networking and informal conversations with members of the ELF community.

Visit the Healthy Lungs for Life stand

Discover resources, activities and opportunities to support lung health awareness and advocacy in your community.

Meet a patient organisation

Throughout the day on 6, 7 and 8 September, visit the ELF stand to meet patient organisations from across our network and learn about their work, projects and opportunities to get involved.

Patient organisation presentations

Join us in the auditorium on 6 and 7 September for a series of short presentations from patient organisations, showcasing their work, achievements and impact.

Saturday 5 September 2026

Registration required

ELF Patient Organisation Networking Day 2026

Dismantling the divide: patients and professionals as one team

10:00 to 17:30

Room 3C and online

The annual ELF Patient Organisation Networking Day will explore how patients and healthcare professionals can work together as equal partners in healthcare, advocacy and research. This event requires registration.

Patient representatives will be involved throughout the programme as chairs and speakers, including outgoing ELF Chair Dimitris Kontopidis, incoming ELF Chair Phil Taverner, Stefano Pavanello, Carlos Pons, Eliza Kompatsiari, Éric Salone, Alba Ubide, Debra Montague, Jean-Michel Fourrier, Haneefa Alam, Oksana Kulish-Skåra and Marion Wilkens.
Transition in respiratory care: asthma

09:00 to 09:45

Studio

Co-chaired by patient respresentative Mehar Singh, this expert interview will explore the challenges and opportunities involved in supporting people living with asthma as they move between different stages of care.

Invitation only

Networking Excellence Training Programme (NEXT)

09:00 to 17:00

Room 3I

Patient representatives Ed Powell and Frank Willersinn will join early career professionals and researchers to share their perspectives on collaboration, leadership and future priorities in lung health.
Mechanisms to prevention: shaping the future of respiratory health: part 1

09:00 to 10:00 

Room 1A 

Patient representative Luciano Cattani will join this forum as a speaker, exploring how advances in science can contribute to prevention strategies and improve lung health outcomes across populations.
Primary care and integrated respiratory care: part 1

09:30 to 11:00

Room 3B

Co-chaired by patient representative Debra Montague, this forum will explore integrated approaches to lung healthcare and the role of primary care services in supporting better patient outcomes.

 
Rethinking scientific discovery: exploration or explanation?

10:15 to 11:00

Studio

Co-chaired by patient representative Irene Nevado, this discussion will explore different approaches to scientific discovery and consider how data-driven and mechanism-driven research can shape the future of lung health science.

 
Primary care and integrated respiratory care: part 2

11:15 to 12:45

Room 3B

Co-chaired by patient representative Debra Montague, this session will continue discussions on integrated lung health care, highlighting shared learning in different healthcare settings and patient communities.
Cystic fibrosis: current patient challenges and models of care

11:15 to 12:00

Studio

Co-chaired by patient representative Irene Nevado, this expert interview will explore current challenges faced by people living with cystic fibrosis and discuss approaches to improving care.
IDERHA: how better access to lung cancer patient data can have a major impact for clinical research and patient outcomes

13:00 to 13:45

Studio

Co-chaired by patient representative Chantel Vandendungen, this EU project session will explore how improved access to patient data can support research and improve outcomes for people affected by lung cancer.

Paid session

PG9: Diagnosis and management of sarcoidosis from a multiorgan perspective

14:00 to 17:30

3E

Co-chaired by patient representative Filippo Martone, this paid postgraduate course will explore the diagnosis and management of sarcoidosis from a multiorgan perspective.

 

Paid session

PG11: Modern concepts in phenotyping and personalised treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea

14:00 to 17:30

3G

Featuring patient representative Carla Miltz, this paid postgraduate course will explore personalised approaches to diagnosing and treating obstructive sleep apnoea.

Paid session

PG13: Pulmonary aspergillosis

14:00 to 17:30

3K

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Pierre De Villiers, this paid postgraduate course will explore the diagnosis and management of pulmonary aspergillosis.
Embedding family caregivers in co-design: improving outcomes in chronic respiratory disease

14:00 to 14:25

Studio

Co-chaired by patient representative Chantal Vandendungen, this session will explore how family and informal caregivers can be more effectively included in lung healthcare and pulmonary rehabilitation.
Medicine shortages and the role of healthcare professionals, scientists and patients

14:25 to 14:50

Studio

Co-chaired by patient representative Chantal Vandendungen, this session will explore the impact of medicine shortages and discuss how patients, researchers and healthcare professionals can work together to address the issue.
ERS Opening Session

17:45 to 19:00

Room 1A

This session will officially open the ERS Congress 2026.

Sunday 6 September 2026

Meet a patient organisation

ELF stand

Visit the ELF stand in the World Village to meet patient organisations from across our network and learn about their work, projects and opportunities to get involved.

  • 10:00 to 12:00 European Pulmonary Fibrosis Federation (EU-PFF)
  • 12:00 to 13:00 Lung Cancer Europe
  • 13:00 to 14:00 European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA)
  • 14:00 to 15:00 French Federation of Associations of Patients with Respiratory Insufficiency or Handicap (FFAAIR)
  • 16:00 to 17:00 Bulgarian Society of Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension (BSPPH)
What's your job? The question we miss in ILD clinics

08:30 to 10:00

Room 3C

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Joshua Suwa, this mini symposium will explore the impact of occupational exposures on interstitial lung disease and highlight the importance of understanding patients’ work histories.
United for a smoke and vape free Europe: leave no one behind

08:30 to 10:00

Room 3E

Co-chaired by patient representative and ELF Vice Chair Helen Parks, this symposium will explore tobacco control, vaping and public health policy, with a focus on ensuring that no communities are left behind.
Emerging exercise testing and training modalities for chronic lung disease

08:30 to 10:00

Room 3D

Co-chaired by patient representative Jean-Michel Fourrier, this symposium will explore advances in exercise assessment, physical activity and pulmonary rehabilitation for people living with chronic lung disease.
Best practice in advance care planning for children and young people with complex medical needs

08:30 to 10:00

Room 3B

Featuring a joint patient testimonial video from Bram and Inge Roelandt, this symposium will explore best practice in advance care planning for children and young people with complex medical needs.
Healthy Lungs for Life lung function testing event

10:00 to 18:30

Offsite, Plaça de la Universitat

Members of the public and ERS Congress 2026 attendees can take part in free lung health testing at the Plaça de la Universitat and speak to the team about the Healthy Lungs for Life campaign and holding your own event.
Overcoming challenges in patient and public involvement in the development of healthcare interventions

10:15 to 11:45

Room 3D

Co-chaired by patient representative Jean-Michel Fourrier, this mini symposium will explore practical approaches to meaningful patient involvement in healthcare design and research.
Breathing through climate change

10:15 to 11:45

Room 3E

Co-chaired by patient representative and ELF Vice Chair Helen Parks, this mini symposium will examine the impact of climate change on lung health and explore how patients and professionals can support action and resilience.
Holistic conversations in lung disease: addressing physical, emotional and social factors

11:00 to 11:45

Studio

Co-chaired by patient representative Tom Bermingham and featuring patient speakers Rachael McGill and Eleni Stamouli, this patient-centred session will explore how patients and healthcare professionals can work together to address the physical, emotional and social impacts of lung disease.
TB vaccines now: from BCG's role to the next-generation pipeline and public-health implications

13:45 to 15:15

Room 3D

Co-chaired by patient representative Justine Hamaïde, this symposium will explore the role of the BCG vaccine and the development of next-generation tuberculosis (TB) vaccines, highlighting their potential to reduce the global burden of this infectious disease.
United in fighting non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD)

15:30 to 17:00

Room 3D

Co-chaired by patient representative Justine Hamaïde, this symposium will discuss diagnosis, monitoring, treatment and prevention strategies for NTM-PD, highlighting opportunities to improve outcomes for people affected by the condition.
Drug development in pulmonary arterial hypertension: translating bench mechanisms to the patient bedside

15:30 to 17:00

Room 3B

Featuring patient representative Louise Bouman as a speaker, this symposium will explore how scientific discoveries are translated into new therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension.
The ELF 'social hour'

15:00 to 16:00

Come by the ELF stand in the World Village for refreshments and an informal opportunity to meet the ELF team and patient representatives from our network. The social hour is a great time for networking and discussing what you have learned throughout the day.

Chronic wet cough across the lifespan: early identification, longitudinal risk and opportunities for prevention

15:30 to 17:00

Room 3L

Featuring patient representative Zena Powell as a speaker, this symposium will explore opportunities to improve diagnosis, management and prevention of chronic wet cough.
Patient organisation presentations

Auditorium

Visit the auditorium for a series of short presentations from patient organisations, showcasing their work, achievements and impact.

  • 15:45 to 15:55 Association for the Support of Patients with Pneumonia and their Families (NEUMOAI)
  • 15:55 to 16:05 European Pulmonary Fibrosis Federation (EU-PFF)
  • 16:05 to 16:15 Spanish Association of Patients with COPD (APEPOC)

Monday 7 September 2026

Meet a patient organisation

ELF stand

Visit the ELF stand in the World Village to meet patient organisations from across our network and learn about their work, projects and opportunities to get involved.

  • 09:00 to 10:00 Lovexair Foundation
  • 10:00 to 11:00 Asma Alergia Espana (AAE)
  • 14:00 to 15:00 Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA)
  • 16:00 to 17:00 Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP)
Together we can make a difference: equality in care and hope in research

08:00 to 09:30

PS-42

Co-chaired by patient representative Caroline Love, this poster session complements the oral presentation session taking place on Tuesday 8 September, which will highlight examples of successful collaboration between patients, researchers and healthcare professionals.

 
Tackling the complexity of rare respiratory diseases across the life span

08:30 to 10:00

Room 3C

Featuring patient representative Natalia Maeva as a speaker, this hot topic session includes a patient perspective on the importance of multidisciplinary care for people living with rare lung diseases.
Integrating palliative care into COPD care

08:30 to 10:00

Room 3E

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Richard Müller, this mini symposium session will explore how palliative care can be better integrated into COPD management and long-term support.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for the treatment of adult obstructive sleep apnoea

09:15 to 10:00

Room 3L

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Luca Roberti, this guidelines session will explore patient experiences and recommendations relating to CPAP treatment.
Patient organisation presentations

Auditorium

Visit the auditorium for a series of short presentations from patient organisations, showcasing their work, achievements and impact.

  • 09:15 to 09:25 Italian national patients association (Respiriamo Insieme)
  • 09:25 to 09:35 French patient organisation for NTM-PD (MNT Mon Poumon Mon Air)
  • 09:35 to 09:45 European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA)
Thoracic ultrasound: aligning science with patient priorities across disciplines

10:15 to 11:45

Room 3D

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Stefano Pavanello, this mini symposium will explore the role of thoracic ultrasound in improving diagnosis, treatment and patient experience across lung conditions.
Meaningful patient involvement in research

11:30 to 12:15

Studio

Chaired by patient representative Mikaela Odemyr and featuring patient representatives Steve Jones and Charlotta Norgaard as speakers, this patient-centred session will explore how patients can work as equal partners in lung health research.

Invitation only

LungHealth4Life meeting

12:00 to 13:45

Room 3.01 in CC3​ and online

Registration required

NEXUS project and beyond: building networks for cleaner cities
From detection to decision: guidance on managing positive findings in lung cancer screening

13:45 to 14:30

Room 3L

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Janette Rawlinson on lung cancer screening and follow-up care, this guidelines session will explore how evidence-based approaches can support early detection, improve decision-making and help ensure high-quality care for people taking part in lung cancer screening programmes.
What we eat, what we breathe: a collaborative fight for better breathing

13:45 to 15:15

Room 3B

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Barry Goffred, this hot topic session will explore the relationship between nutrition, environmental exposures and lung health.
Empowering patients and professionals for better lung health

13:45 to 15:15

Room 3E

Co-chaired by incoming ELF Chair Phil Taverner, this symposium will explore patient empowerment, self-management and partnership working in lung health.
Critical challenges in airways disease: gaps in our science to identifying patients at risk of disease worsening

13:45 to 15:15

Room 3F

Featuring patient representatives Luciano Cattani and Myriam Van de Velde as speakers, this symposium will explore why some patients experience worsening asthma and COPD despite advances in treatment.
United for prevention in respiratory health: empowering patients, clinicians and researchers to protect lung health

13:45 to 15:15

Room 3C

Co-chaired by patient representative Hilary Hodge, this clinical year in review session will explore the latest evidence on preventing lung disease, including environmental exposures, healthy lifestyles, vaccination and digital innovation.

 
The ELF 'social hour'

15:00 to 16:00

Come by the ELF stand in the World Village for refreshments and an informal opportunity to meet the ELF team and patient representatives from our network. The social hour is a great time for networking and discussing what you have learned throughout the day.

Redefining airway diseases: what precision medicine has taught us and what comes next

15:30 to 17:00

Room 3C

Co-chaired by patient representative Hilary Hodge, this symposium and Congress chairs’ session will explore how precision medicine and collaborative research are transforming our understanding of airway diseases.

 
The power of patient partnerships

15:30 to 17:00

Room 3E

Co-chaired by incoming ELF Chair Phil Taverner and featuring outgoing ELF Chair Dimitris Kontopidis and patient representatives Károly Illy, Erika Kennington and Eliza Kompatsiari as speakers, this dedicated patient-focused symposium will explore successful partnerships between patients, healthcare professionals and researchers.

Tuesday 8 September 2026

Beyond antibiotics: multidimensional approaches to respiratory infections

08:30 to 10:00

Room 3D

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Irene Nevado, this symposium will explore innovative approaches to preventing and managing respiratory infections beyond traditional antibiotic therapies.
Advanced telemedicine for obstructive sleep apnoea

08:30 to 10:00

Room 3L

Featuring patient organisation representative Claire Allen as a speaker, this hot topics session will explore digital technologies and telemedicine approaches for sleep-disordered breathing.
Meet a patient organisation

ELF stand

Visit the ELF stand in the World Village to meet patient organisations from across our network and learn about their work, projects and opportunities to get involved.

  • 10:00 to 12:00 Sleep Apnoea Trust
  • 13:00 to 14:00 Aspergillosis Trust
  • 14:00 to 15:00 French patient organisation for NTM-PD (MNT Mon Poumon Mon Air)
  • 16:00 to 17:00 National Association of Sarcoidosis Patients, Spain (ANES)
United for better care: the IMPORTANCE of patients as equal partners in home mechanical ventilation and positive airway pressure therapies

10:15 to 11:45

Room 3E

Featuring ELF Patient Input team member Clare Williams as a speaker, this hot topic session will explore how patient organisations and advisory groups can strengthen care, education and research.
Uncontrolled obstructive airway disease: is obstructive sleep apnoea the missing link?

10:15 to 11:45

Room 3L

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Richard Muller, this symposium will explore the relationship between obstructive airway diseases and sleep-disordered breathing, with a particular focus on obstructive sleep apnoea.
Breathing easy: addressing air, housing and poverty in patient care

10:15 to 11:00

Studio

Co-chaired by patient representative Carlos Pons and featuring patient representative Stefan Radut as a speaker, this patient-centred session will explore how social and environmental factors affect lung health outcomes.
Understanding the experience of breathlessness

10:15 to 11:45

Room 3C

This hot topic session will explore how patients, carers and healthcare professionals can better understand, communicate about and manage this often invisible symptom to improve quality of life.
Evolving voices: patient-parent-doctor communication across the ages

11:15 to 12:00

Studio

Co-chaired by patient representative Carlos Pons, this deep dive discussion will explore how communication between patients, families and healthcare professionals evolves throughout life.

 

Registration required

JARED Consortium meeting

12:00 to 13:45

Room 3.12 in CC3 and online

This hybrid meeting brings together partners in the EU-funded JARED project to discuss project progress, key achievements and strategic priorities across the project work packages.
Bronchiectasis year in review 2026: targeting disease activity to improve outcomes

12:15 to 13:15

Room 3D

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Justine Hamaïde, this joint session will review key developments in bronchiectasis research and clinical care.
Redefining the COPD spectrum of care: towards personalised and equitable care for people living with COPD

13:45 to 15:15

Room 3L

Featuring a patient testimonial video from Gregorio Gamez, this symposium will explore personalised approaches to COPD treatment and addressing inequalities in care.
Delivering net-zero respiratory health

13:45 to 15:15

Room 3D

Including patient representative Mikaela Odemyr as a speaker, this symposium will explore how sustainable healthcare, digital health and artificial intelligence (AI) can support better lung health.

 
Beyond guidelines: real-world data and patient voices in severe asthma

13:45 to 15:15

Room 3E

Co-chaired by patient representative Linda Clephane and including patient representative Hilary Hodge as a speaker, this hot topic session will explore how patient experiences and real-world evidence can shape severe asthma care.

Registration required

Breathe Clean Air meeting

14:00 to 15:30

Room 3.13C

Join the Breathe Clean Air Meeting to hear updates on the Healthy Lungs for Life campaign, share experiences from national air pollution initiatives and explore opportunities for collaboration to strengthen action on clean air and lung health across Europe.
Why global lung health monitoring matters

14:15 to 15:00

Studio

Including patient representative and incoming ELF Vice Chair Helen Parks as a speaker, this expert interview will explore how global lung health monitoring can help improve lung health and support better health outcomes worldwide. The session will share findings from the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) Lung Health Taskforce.

 
The ELF 'social hour'

15:00 to 16:00

Come by the ELF stand in the World Village for refreshments and an informal opportunity to meet the ELF team and patient representatives from our network. The social hour is a great time for networking and discussing what you have learned throughout the day.

Cough across the ages and airway diseases

15:30 to 17:00

Room 3E

Co-chaired by patient representative Linda Clephane, this mini symposium will examine the burden of chronic cough throughout life and discuss opportunities to improve care.
United for better breathing: interprofessional collaboration and patient empowerment in pulmonary rehabilitation

15:30 to 17:00

3D

This session looks at how patients and healthcare professionals can work together to shape pulmonary rehabilitation and improve outcomes for people living with lung disease.
Together we can make a difference: inspiring examples of patient and professional partnership

15:45 to 17:00

Room 3H

Co-chaired by patient representative Eleni Stamouli, this oral presentation will showcase examples of successful collaboration between patients, researchers and healthcare professionals.

Wednesday 9 September 2026

Inspiring youth to engage in the future of lung health

09:00 to 10:30

Room 3J

Co-chaired by patient representative and ELF Youth Group Chair Ed Powell and featuring patient representatives Elena Marti Barclay, Marleen Sorensen, Maksim Mironovas and Carlos Navarrete as speakers, this Wednesday special session will explore how young people can influence advocacy, research and the future of lung healthcare. This free event is open to the public, but advance registration is required.

 
ERN-LUNG: a patient-focused network

09:00 to 11:00

Room 3I

Featuring patient representatives Liam Galvin and Hall Skaara as speakers, this Wednesday special session will examine how European collaboration can improve care for people living with rare respiratory diseases. This free event is open to the public, but advance registration is required.
Data, trust and power: building a trusted European respiratory data infrastructure

09:15 to 12:30

Room 3K

Including patient representative Hilary Hodge as a speaker, this Wednesday special session will discuss transparency, consent and trust in the use of health data. This free event is open to the public, but advance registration is required.
Invisible burdens: the stigma of lung conditions

10:00 to 10:45

Studio

Chaired by patient representative Lisa McNeil and featuring patient speakers Ron Flewett and Angeliki Souri, this patient-centred session will explore stigma associated with respiratory conditions and discuss ways to improve understanding and support.

 
New frontiers in respiratory health: the present and future of early detection

10:30 to 12:30

Room 3M

Including incoming ELF Chair Phil Taverner as s speaker, this Wednesday special session will explore how advances in screening and diagnostics could transform respiratory health outcomes. This free event is open to the public, but advance registration is required.
Lung transplantation: a dialogue between patients and professionals

11:15 to 12:45

Room 3I

Co-chaired by ELF Chair Dimitris Kontopidis and featuring patient representatives Natalia Maeva and Stefano Pavenello as speakers, this Wednesday special session will bring together patients and professionals to discuss transplantation, follow-up care and patient involvement. This free event is open to the public, but advance registration is required.

ELF is a non-profit organisation registered as a UK company (VAT no. GB 115 0027 74) and charity (no. 1118930).
Our Brussels office enterprise number is 0738.383.695
European Lung Foundation's TR ID number in the Transparency Register is: 094039644810-79