Shining a light on childhood respiratory health

The greatest burden of any disadvantage always falls heaviest on the weakest and most vulnerable who cannot raise their voices themselves

Respiratory diseases pose a signi cant global health challenge, as a leading cause of both mortality and morbidity worldwide. Infants and young children are particularly vulnerable, with pneumonia ranking as the primary infectious cause of death among children globally.1 Additionally, asthma, a prevalent noncommunicable disease a ecting both children and adults, stands as the most common chronic disease among children.2 The economic fallout from the pandemic has exacerbated poverty and inequality, potentially escalating malnutrition rates among children, consequently heightening the risk of paediatric tuberculosis (TB).3 Common risk factors for acute and chronic respiratory illnesses encompass environmental exposures such as tobacco smoke, indoor air pollution, and inadequate nutrition. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between paediatric and adult respiratory diseases, where early childhood respiratory infections or environmental exposures can lead to chronic adult illnesses.4

The EU has a very important role in addressing what is essentially a cross border challenge whether it is via increasing access, a ordability and availability of childhood respiratory medicines via the revised pharmaceutical legislation. Whether it is via tackling chronic respiratory diseases through Healthier Together Initiative and the EU4Health programme, whether it is via boosting European Reference Networks (ERNs) and the rare diseases strategy, or whether it is via actions to tackle climate change, air pollution and tobacco, we still do not have cures for many childhood respiratory illnesses and, given the massive and increasing burden, we need research, research, research and this needs to be re ected in Horizon Framework Programmes.