International Respiratory Societies unite on World Bronchiectasis Day 2025 to urge global awareness and collaboration

July 1, 2025 – According to the 2022 Global Impact of Respiratory Disease Report, the global presence of non–cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis ranges from 67 to 566 per 100,000 inhabitants in Europe and North America and from 1,200 per 100,000 inhabitants in China in those aged 40 or older.

In support of World Bronchiectasis Day, July 1, the American Thoracic Society and its Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) partners are calling attention to the growing burden of this lesser-known chronic lung disease and the urgent need for increased awareness, diagnosis and coordinated care.

Bronchiectasis is a lung disease that affects hundreds of thousands of children and adults worldwide. With this chronic illness, the airways become enlarged or scarred, making it difficult to clear mucus properly, leading to recurring lung infections and affecting daily life. Unmanaged, bronchiectasis can lead to accelerated lung function loss resulting in long-term disability and premature death. The disease can occur at any age, though most people are diagnosed later in life. Although there is currently no cure, detecting and treating bronchiectasis early can improve quality of life and improve long term health.

While bronchiectasis is often referred to as a rare disease, its occurrence is increasing globally. In children, especially those in poor communities, bronchiectasis may occur following a lower respiratory tract infection or pneumonia such as whooping cough or viral infection.

"Bronchiectasis continues to be a widely misunderstood and underdiagnosed respiratory disease, affecting individuals around the world,” says Guy Marks, president of FIRS. “As global leaders in respiratory health, World Bronchiectasis Day is an opportunity for us to spotlight this chronic lung disease and the people it impacts. We stand together to advocate for better care pathways, patient education and research funding."

Recognized annually on July 1, World Bronchiectasis Day aims to unite health care providers, researchers, patients and advocacy organizations in a shared mission: to improve early detection, foster research into the causes and treatments of bronchiectasis, and ensure that patients across all regions have access to comprehensive, multidisciplinary care.

The 2025 World Bronchiectasis Day campaign emphasizes the importance of cross-border collaboration, particularly in regions where bronchiectasis is underreported and underdiagnosed or health care systems face barriers to early diagnosis and long-term management.

To learn more about bronchiectasis and to support annual World Bronchiectasis Day, visit worldbronchiectasisday.org.

About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies
The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is an organization comprised of the world's leading international respiratory societies working together to improve lung health globally. The goal of FIRS is to unify and enhance efforts to improve lung health through the combined work of its more than 100,000 members globally.

FIRS comprises the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), American Thoracic Society (ATS), the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology (APSR), Asociación Latino Americana De Tórax (ALAT), European Respiratory Society (ERS), International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (The Union), Pan African Thoracic Society (PATS), the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).

About the American Thoracic Society:

Founded in 1905, the American Thoracic Society is the world's leading medical society dedicated to accelerating the advancement of global respiratory health through multidisciplinary collaboration, education, and advocacy. Core activities of the Society’s more than 30,000[KT1]  members are focused on leading scientific discoveries, advancing professional development, impacting global health, and transforming patient care. Key areas of member focus include developing clinical practice guidelines, hosting the annual International Conference, publishing four peer-reviewed journals, advocating for improved respiratory health globally, and developing an array of patient education and career development resources.

Please visit our website to learn more. Join the conversation and our community on Bluesky, Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

 [KT1]Hooray!