Read the standout research and lung health stories from ERS Congress 2026.
The European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress is one of the world’s largest and most important lung health research conferences. Each year, it brings together clinicians, researchers, patient advocates and industry partners from across the globe to share the latest scientific advances, present new data and shape the future of lung health.
This September, thousands of abstracts were presented, late-breaking results were shared and new guidelines were announced. The Congress created a vital space for researchers to collaborate, share new findings and work towards improvement in lung health.
The 2026 Congress was held from 5–9 September in Barcelona under the theme “United for better breathing: partnership between patients, clinicians and researchers.”
There were several interesting sessions across priority areas:
Sessions looked at how the world around us, from the air we breathe to where we live, directly impacts our lungs and how healthcare itself can become greener.
Discussions covered policy efforts in United for a smoke free Europe and practical ways to protect lung health as temperatures rise in Breathing through climate change. Experts also examined how food production and diet affect air quality in What we eat, what we breathe, eco-friendly inhalers and hospital practices in Delivering net-zero respiratory health, and how housing and poverty shape overall health in Breathing easy: addressing air, housing and poverty in patient care.
Putting the main theme into practice, these sessions focused on why lived experience matters and how patients and doctors can work as equal partners.
Talks covered including patient voices early in medical studies in Meaningful patient involvement in research, making shared decisions about treatment in Empowering patients and professionals for better lung health and The power of patient partnerships. Further sessions explored treating patients as equal members of the care team in United for better care: the importance of patients as equal partners and combining team support with patient confidence in United for better breathing: interprofessional collaboration and patient empowerment in pulmonary rehabilitation.
Focusing on the whole person rather than just a diagnosis, a range of sessions looked at everyday quality of life, managing difficult symptoms and tackling judgment around lung conditions.
Panellists explored support for emotional and social well-being in Holistic approaches in lung disease: addressing physical, emotional and social factors and better ways to talk about what struggling for breath feels like in Understanding the experience of breathlessness. Other talks addressed long-term symptoms across different ages in Cough across the age and airways diseases and breaking down unfair shame and misunderstanding in a studio session entitled, Invisible burdens: the stigma of lung conditions.
Alongside the main clinical sessions, the ERS Congress 2026 press programme highlighted groundbreaking public health studies and new treatment findings that captured global media attention.
These news releases share findings from various studies presented at the Congress looking at how environmental exposures, digital health, lifestyle interventions and new therapeutic options directly shape patient outcomes and public health policy:
Presenting research at a medical conference like the ERS Congress is often the first step in researchers sharing new discoveries. Before studies are accepted, researchers submit a short summary of their work, which is reviewed by a panel of experts to ensure the quality and importance of the science.
Congresses often showcase cutting-edge and ongoing research and these presentations give scientists a chance to discuss early findings and get valuable feedback. Afterwards, researchers use that feedback to finalise their data and write up complete articles for publication in scientific journals later on.
As well as these full papers, members of the ERS Assemblies also round-up and share their highlights from the research presented at the ERS Congress. ELF will publish lay summaries of these articles to make the findings accessible to our audience. Stay tuned for these publications in our newsletter next year.
