FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bronchiectasis, a Rare Lung Disease, Affects Thousands Globally
On World Bronchiectasis Day, members of the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) bring attention to this chronic lung disease.
NEW YORK, NY – JULY 1, 2026 – A lesser-known chronic lung disease, bronchiectasis affects hundreds of thousands of children and adults worldwide. Individuals living with bronchiectasis experience recurring lung infections due to enlarged and scarred airways which make it difficult to clear mucus properly. Symptoms include frequent coughing (often with thick, discolored mucus), sputum production, breathlessness, repeat chest infections, increased tiredness, unexplained fever, chills, sweats and weight loss, and chest pain1. Although there is currently no cure, detecting and treating bronchiectasis early can improve quality of life and long-term health.
In support of the fifth annual World Bronchiectasis Day, July 1, the American Thoracic Society is joining our Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), partners, including the Bronchiectasis and NTM Foundation to raise global awareness, share knowledge, and encourage continued research to reduce the burden of bronchiectasis for patients and their families worldwide.
According to a 2023 study, the most common cause of bronchiectasis was post-infective disease. A smaller percentage of the study participants were classified as idiopathic. Compared with other regions, patients in central and eastern Europe had more severe bronchiectasis measured by a Bronchiectasis Severity Index and more exacerbations leading to hospitalizations. The study calls for more research and future therapeutic development to understand differences in patient characteristics, treatment, and outcomes across the world.
“World Bronchiectasis Day provides an important opportunity to increase awareness of a disease that can have a significant impact on patients’ quality of life,” said Guy Marks, President of FIRS. “Through global alliance, we can bring together patients, clinicians, researchers, and advocacy organizations to advance education, improve access to care and accelerate progress in bronchiectasis research.”
As part of this year’s observance, organizations across the international respiratory community are sharing educational resources, patient stories, research updates, advocacy initiatives, and community events designed to improve understanding of bronchiectasis and support those affected by the disease.
Access our new on-demand video learning platform, ATS NOW, for bronchiectasis content from the ATS 2026 International Conference. ATS partner resources – including a toolkit in English, Spanish and French – is available on the ATS website. The ATS Bronchiectasis Primer, an essential tool for clinicians, is now available for download. Funding for this project was provided by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
A full calendar of activities can be found on the World Bronchiectasis Day website run by the Bronchiectasis and NTM Association.
About World Bronchiectasis Day
World Bronchiectasis Day, recognized annually on July 1, aims to raise global awareness of bronchiectasis and help those with the disease and others yet to be diagnosed through education, advocacy, and a global conversation focused on reducing the burden of bronchiectasis for patients and their families worldwide. To learn more about bronchiectasis and to support annual World Bronchiectasis Day, visit worldbronchiectasisday.org.
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 22,000 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.
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About the Forum of International Respiratory Societies
The Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) is an organization comprising the world's leading international respiratory societies working together to improve lung health globally: American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST), American Thoracic Society (ATS), 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), Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), and the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD).
The goal of FIRS is to unify and enhance efforts to improve lung health through the combined work of its more than 70,000 members globally.
1 https://resources.bronchandntm.org/public/document-library/49/english/20260501170522.pdf
2 Chalmers J, Polverino E, Crichton M et al. Bronchiectasis in Europe: data on disease characteristics from the European Bronchiectasis registry (EMBARC) The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 2023; 11, 637-649
DOI: 10.1016/S2213-2600(23)00093-0