Frequently asked questions
FAQ on inhalers and propellants
Q. Could I simply switch my patients to a dry powder inhaler (DPI)?
A. Inhaler devices and the medicines contained within them are not inter-changeable. DPIs differ greatly in their design and features, and patients do not use all devices equally well. Switching inhaler design has been associated with reduced adherence and disease control, as well as increased healthcare resource utilisation and cost.
FAQs about IRIS
Q. What is the Inhaled Respiratory medicine Innovation and environmental Sustainability (IRIS) group?
A. IRIS is a small group of experts dedicated to advocating for the importance of inhaled respiratory medicine, continued patient access to these medications and promoting environmental sustainability.
Q. What is the purpose of IRIS?
A. The purpose of IRIS is to advocate for the importance on inhaled respiratory medicines, promote the criticality of continued access and clinical choice and ensure long-term environmental sustainability.
Q. What is the structure of IRIS?
A. IRIS is led by a steering committee comprising 10 renowned experts from 7 countries. The IRIS community includes clinicians and other stakeholders interested in protecting patient access to essential respiratory medicines and defending clinical choice, whilst supporting environmental sustainability.
Q. Who are the members of IRIS?
A. IRIS is chaired by Prof Arzu Yorgancioglu (Professor and Head of The Department of Pulmonology at Celal Bayar University, Turkey and current chair of the GINA Board of Directors) and 9 other world-renowned clinicians, with a wealth of experience in their respective fields within respiratory medicine:
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Mohit Bhutani (Professor of Medicine and clinical director of the Asthma and COPD clinicals at the University of Alberta, Canada),
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MeiLan Han (Professor of internal medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan Health, USA),
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John Hurst (Professor of Respiratory Medicine and Vice Dean (International) for the Faculty of Medical Sciences at University College London (UCL), UK),
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Alan Kaplan (Chairperson of the Family Physician Airways Group of Canada and Medical Director of LHIN Pulmonary Rehabilitation clinics, Canada),
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Richard Russell (Clinical reader at Kings College London, Respiratory Consultant at the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and Chair of the British Thoracic Society (BTS) Executive and Council, UK),
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Franziska Christina Trudzinski (Senior Attending Physician in Pulmonology and Intensive Care Medicine at the Thorax Clinic Heidelberg, Germany),
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Job Van Boven (Associate Professor of cost-effective & sustainable respiratory drug use at the university Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands),
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Tonya Winters (President and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP)), and
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Ema Paulino (Pharmacist and President of ANF, Portugal).
Q. What activities will IRIS undertake?
A. IRIS will ensure that the voice of respiratory community is heard in decisions affecting access to essential respiratory medicines. Currently, our activities are centred around 3 areas:
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Informing policy consultations to advocate for patient access to essential inhaled medications
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Highlighting the importance of clinical choice for physicians and patients, with a focus on disease control plus environmental sustainability
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Promoting innovation and practices within the sphere of respiratory medicine that protect the environment
Q. What will the outputs of IRIS be?
A. Our planned outputs include a call to action publication to inform policy consultations on imminent PFAS policy, a toolkit to support and encourage broader respiratory community engagement and communications to articulate the impact of proposed policy on physicians, patients and the environment.
Q. What are the benefits of being part of the community?
A. Becoming part of the IRIS community ensures that you stay informed of key developments that may impact patient access to respiratory medicines, and gain access to tools and resources.
Q. Who can become a member of the community?
A. We invite respiratory clinicians, environmental toxicologists, patient advocacy groups and broader industry participants and industry individuals (e.g. pharmaceutical companies) to join us.
Q. What information will be shared with the community?
A. Members will receive updates from IRIS, including emerging research and ways they can support continued and sustainable access to inhaled respiratory medicines.
Q. Are there any obligations of being part of the community?
A. Members will have no obligations as part of this group. The intention is to inform and stimulate further discussion, and engagement in the short term with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) consultation.