Patients lead discussions at SHARP meeting on Severe Asthma

This month ELF and members of the ELF Severe Asthma Patient Advisory Group (PAG) attended the SHARP (Severe Heterogenous Asthma Registry Patient-centred) meeting in Barcelona. SHARP is an ERS clinical research collaboration (CRC; a group of researchers, clinicians and patients who come together to pursue funding opportunities for large-scale research projects that will accelerate scientific progress for a specific disease).  

SHARP is the first CRC to have a patient co-chair and deputy chair, and ELF’s severe asthma patient advisory group (PAG) have been involved from the beginning. An important aim of the meeting was to ensure that this high level of patient involvement continues as a new phase of the project begins.  

Attendees discussed SHARP’s future, which is built on four pillars:

1. End of dependency on oral steroids for disease control.
2. Access to severe asthma specialists for all severe asthma patients.
3. Understanding the heterogeneity of the mechanisms causing asthma.
4. Prevention of severe asthma.

The next phase of SHARP will continue to be patient-focused with an emphasis on patient-reported outcomes.  

In order to maintain this level of patient involvement we are always keen to have new members of our severe asthma PAG, and in particular to have members representing a wide range of European countries. If you are interested in getting involved we would be very happy to hear from you. Email Barbara Johnson for more information. You can also read about what it’s like to be part of a PAG in an interview with two of our current PAG members, Annette and Rita.

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