Macron to visit Greenland on June 15 in show of solidarity
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Making COPD a public health priority starts here: understanding the condition
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an increasingly important threat to the public and health systems around the world. Despite its dire consequences, COPD remains an often under-recognized and under-prioritized non-communicable disease (NCD) A recent Ipsos poll* across 14 countries revealed that a staggering 45 percent could not correctly identify COPD as a lung disease. As a global patient advocate, I believe it is essential to raise the level of awareness and understanding among patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, policymakers and the public about the impact of COPD. This is why we need to unite the patient advocacy, clinician and policy communities to Speak Up for COPD to raise awareness and opportunities to reform patient care and prioritize early diagnosis through policy initiatives. The Speak Up For COPD coalition is a global coalition of patients, health professionals and policymakers to raise public awareness about COPD and its consequences. The coalition is based on the idea that COPD should be a priority for their health system.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an increasingly important threat to the public and health systems around the world, yet is often overlooked as a significant public health issue.1,4 As a global patient advocate, I believe it is essential to raise the level of awareness and understanding among patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, policymakers and the public about the impact of COPD and opportunities to reform patient care and prioritize early diagnosis through policy initiatives. This is my take on why we need to unite the patient advocacy, clinician and policy communities to Speak Up for COPD.
COPD refers to the common and serious lung diseases emphysema and bronchitis that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems. It is characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms, including chronic cough, shortness of breath and reduced lung function. The effects on the individual can vary, but it often hinders the ability to carry out everyday tasks and can also cause anxiety and depression. While COPD is a progressive disease, early detection and diagnosis allow for timely intervention and management strategies that can help slow disease progression, prevent avoidable complications and improve quality of life.2
As of 2019, it is estimated that over 391 million patients had COPD worldwide and COPD is the third leading cause of death globally.1,2 Despite this immense impact, there has been no substantial improvement in mortality rates over the past two decades.5,6 In Europe alone, it was responsible for more than 300,000 lives lost in 2019.7 The costs associated with COPD globally are projected to rise to $4.8 trillion by 2030.8 It is clear urgent action is needed.
“The number of deaths due to COPD is extremely high every year. The number of patients with COPD is high at present. COPD causes people to experience symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, which makes their daily life very difficult, and this will decrease their quality of life.”– Policymaker Survey Respondent, South Korea.3
Lack of public awareness and far-reaching consequences
Unfortunately, awareness of COPD among the general public is alarmingly low. A recent Ipsos poll* across 14 countries revealed that a staggering 45 percent could not correctly identify COPD as a lung disease.3
This lack of awareness extends to understanding the risk factors and severity of COPD,3 which likely contributes to perpetuating a cycle of indifference and inertia. While public awareness of the link between smoking and COPD is relatively high, there is a lack of understanding about other risk factors3 and the fact that COPD is the third leading cause of death.2 Misconceptions about COPD and the prevalent assumption that it’s a smoker’s disease exacerbate existing stigma, which can inhibit individuals from seeking timely help for symptoms and contribute to the under-diagnosis and under-recognition of the disease.9
“The reason why this disease does not have as high of a priority as it should is because I believe that it is perceived as less dangerous compared to others.” – Policymaker Survey Respondent, Italy.3
Furthermore, only one-third of the public sees COPD as placing an ‘extremely serious’ burden on their country’s health system.3 In reality, COPD ranks among some of the leading causes of emergency hospital admissions, exerting a significant toll on already fragile health systems.10-12 This burden is likely to increase further due to ageing populations and continued exposure to COPD risk factors such as environmental pollution, poor air quality and climate change.13
“Since it’s not one of the best known illnesses, it’s not attended to with the speed and the efficiency it should, plus it causes other illnesses, so making it a priority would mean making savings for the healthcare system long term. The main barrier is the lack of knowledge about the disease.” – Policymaker Survey Respondent, Spain.3
From awareness to action
However, we have the power to change this by redefining policy. It’s heartening to see that the majority of the public – once informed about the scale of the burden of COPD and its consequences – agrees that more should be done by their government and health systems.3
via the Speak Up for COPD coalition
Sixty-five percent of the surveyed public believe that COPD should be a priority for their health system, while more than 60 percent agree that governments need to do more to prevent unnecessary deaths and hospitalizations from COPD.3
via the Speak Up for COPD coalition
This sentiment is echoed by polled policymakers, with 58 percent believing that COPD should be given a higher priority, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.3 Surveyed policymakers also recognize the importance of early detection and diagnosis as effective in reducing the burden of COPD.3
At the same time, polling highlights the need to ensure that more policymakers are made aware of evidence-based resources and “expert blueprints” for enhancing COPD care, such as the COPD Patient Charter and Global Quality Standards.14,15 These resources provide frameworks that may help countries establish consistent and effective standards for COPD care to ensure timely and accurate diagnoses, as well as treatment plans aligned with global recommendations. By following these standards, the risk of exacerbations can be reduced, leading to lower COPD-related costs and preventing premature death – but support at the policymaking level is a key component for enacting change.16-21
“The significance of the illness is not fully appreciated by everyone. Prioritisation should be given to COPD patients.” – Policymaker Survey Respondent, United Kingdom.3
Proactive measures underway
Significant progress has already been made in implementing quality standards at national and regional levels to improve COPD care and address disease burden. Notable policy measures promoting a more proactive stance toward COPD can be seen in Belgium, where the parliament passed a COPD-focused resolution in 2022 to initiate research on the impact of air pollution on COPD risk, to review medication reimbursement for COPD patients and to advocate for a smoke-free generation.22
Key examples also include the European Commission’s Healthier Together — EU Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Initiative, which emphasizes the importance of comprehensive care to address comorbidities.23 Yet it’s essential that we, as the patient community, continue to voice our concerns to ensure chronic respiratory diseases like COPD are prioritized within the NCDs outlined by the European Commission to receive proper political attention and funding within national NCD strategies.
This is why the global COPD community is calling for policy prioritization through initiatives such as the Speak Up for COPD campaign, built by a group of advocates, clinicians and industry partners striving to establish COPD awareness and action as a public health priority.
Since its inception in 2021, Speak Up for COPD has grown into a worldwide movement amplifying the voices of those living with COPD. The coalition published a Joint Declaration on World COPD Day 2022, signed by 20 patient advocacy groups, non-profit organizations and healthcare practitioners to call on governments, healthcare systems and policymakers for policy action to address the growing burden of COPD.24 We’re expanding our footprint this year and call for policymakers, such as the voices quoted in the Ipsos poll, to join our movement to make COPD a public health priority.
The time for action is now
These early results serve as a wake-up call, exposing the need for greater awareness of COPD and urgent policy action to implement evidence-based care. We need a coherent, holistic approach to tackle the burden of COPD on healthcare systems and the challenge of early diagnosis, while at the same time addressing the unmet needs of those living with this disease – because people living with COPD need and deserve better.
We invite you to Speak Up for COPD and join our growing movement by sharing this article with the hashtag #SpeakUpforCOPD to spread the message far and wide. Working together, we can raise public awareness and drive policy change to alleviate the burden that COPD places on patients, societies and healthcare systems across the EU and the globe.
*Poll initiated and funded by AstraZeneca. Act on COPD. Common, Preventable, Treatable: Has COPD been underprioritised? (2022) Accessible at: https://qrcgcustomers.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/account21372441/30986798_2.pdf?0.16088484869497655 [last accessed July 2023]
Speak Up for COPD is supported by a coalition of partners** across industry and the non-profit sector to raise awareness and understanding of COPD amongst policymakers and healthcare decision makers by amplifying the voices of patients, the COPD community and the public. All partners contribute time and expertise to the coalition actitivies. Our one critical goal is to establish COPD as a public health priority.
**Coalition partners: Global Allergy & Airways Patient Platform (GAAPP), International Federation of Ageing (IFA), COPD Foundation, International Coalition of Respiratory Nurses (ICRN), International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), with funding from AstraZeneca, Roche, Sanofi and Regeneron.
Veeva ID: Z4-55604
Date of Preparation: July 2023
References
1. Adeloye D., Song P., Zhu Y., et al. Global, regional, and national prevalence of, and risk factors for, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2019: a systematic review and modelling analysis. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. (2022) Vol 10(5); 447-458
2. WHO. Fact Sheet: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). (2023) Accessible at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-(copd) [last accessed June 2023]
3. Act on COPD. Common, Preventable, Treatable: Has COPD been underprioritised? (2022) Accessible at: https://qrcgcustomers.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/account21372441/30986798_2.pdf?0.16088484869497655 [last accessed July 2023]
4. Quaderi, S. A., Hurst, J. R. The unmet global burden of COPD. Global health, epidemiology and genomics, (2018) 3, e4
5. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): National Trends. (2022) Accessible at: https://www.cdc.gov/copd/data-and-statistics/national-trends.html [last accessed May 2023]
6. Marshall D., Omari O., Goodall R., et al. Trends in prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years relating to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Europe: an observational study of the global burden of disease database, 2001-2019. BMC Pulm Med. (2022) 22:289
7. International Respiratory Coalition. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). (2023) Accessible at: https://international-respiratory-coalition.org/diseases/copd [last accessed June 2023]
8. Bloom D.E., et al. The Global Economic Burden of Noncommunicable Diseases. Geneva: World Economic Forum. (2011) Accessible at: https://world-heart-federation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/WEF_Harvard_HE_GlobalEconomicBurdenNonCommunicableDiseases_2011.pdf [last accessed June 2023]
9. Mathioudakis et al. Stigma: an unmet public health priority in COPD. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. (2021) 955-956
10. Canadian Institute for Health Information. Hospital Stays in Canada. (2021) Accessible at https://www.cihi.ca/en/hospital-stays-in-canada [last accessed July 2023]
11. Hunter L.C., Lee R.J., Butcher I., et al. Patient characteristics associated with risk of first hospital admission and readmission for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) following primary care COPD diagnosis: a cohort study using linked electronic patient records. BMJ Open. (2016) 6:e009121. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009121
12. Anees ur Rehman, Mohamed Azmi Ahmad Hassali, Sohail Ayaz Muhammad, Shahid Shah, Sameen Abbas, Irfhan Ali Bin Hyder Ali, Ahmad Salman. The economic burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the USA, Europe, and Asia: results from a systematic review of the literature. Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research. (2020) 20:6, 661-672, DOI: 10.1080/14737167.2020.1678385
13. Stolz, D., Mkorombindo, T., Schumann, D., Agusti, A., Samuel, A., Bafadhel, M., et al. Towards the elimination of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a Lancet Commission. The Lancet Commissions. Vol.400 Issue 10356. (2022) pp.921-972
14. Hurst J.R., et al. A patient charter for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Adv Ther. (2021) 38 (1): 11-23
15. Bhutani et al. Quality Standards Position Statements for Healthy System Policy Changes in Diagnosis and Management of COPD: A Global Perspective. Advances in Therapy, 39. (2022) 2302-2322
16. Palli S.R., Zhou S., Shaikh A., Willey V.J. Effect of compliance with GOLD treatment recommendations on COPD health care resource utilization, cost, and exacerbations among patients with COPD on maintenance therapy. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. (2021) 27:625–637
17. Rothnie K.J., Müllerová H., Smeeth L., Quint J.K. Natural History of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations in a General Practice-based Population with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Am J Resp Crit Care Med. 2018; 198 (4): 464-471
18. Suissa S., Dell’Aniello S., Ernst P. Long-term natural history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: severe exacerbations and mortality. Thorax. 2012; 67 (11): 957-63
19. Ho T.W., Tsai Y.J., Ruan S.Y., et al. In-Hospital and One-Year Mortality and Their Predictors in Patients Hospitalized for First-Ever Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbations: A Nationwide Population-Based Study. PLOS ONE. 2014; 9 (12): e114866
20. Lindenauer P.K., Dharmarajan K., Qin L., et al. Risk Trajectories of Readmission and Death in the First Year After Hospitalization for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2018 Apr 15;197(8):1009-1017
21. García-Sanz, M.T., Cánive-Gómez, J.C., Senín-Rial, L., et al. One-year and long-term mortality in patients hospitalized for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. J Thorac Dis. 2017; 9 (3): 636‐645. doi:10.21037/jtd.2017.03.34
22. Chambre des représentants de Belgique. Proposition de résolution relative à une approche efficace et intégrale de lutte contre la broncho-pneumopathie chronique obstructive. (2022) DOC 55 2259/005
23. European Commission. Healthier Together – EU non-communicable diseases initiative. (2022) Accessible at: https://health.ec.europa.eu/non-communicable-diseases/healthier-together-eu-non-communicable-diseases-initiative_en [last accessed: July 2023]
24. Winders, T., Barratt J. It is time to make COPD a public health priority. POLITICO. (2022) Accessible at: https://www.politico.eu/sponsored-content/it-is-time-to-make-copd-a-public-health-priority/ [last accessed: July 2023]
Macron to visit Greenland on June 15 in show of solidarity
The U.S. has long maintained a military presence on Greenland. Greenland is rich in minerals such as uranium and graphite, which are crucial to manufacturing and global supply chains. In May, Greenland’s Foreign Minister said the country wanted to deepen cooperation with the European Union, with mineral resources being the primary area where they could join forces. “I think that you’d be a lot better coming under the United States security umbrella than you have been under Denmark”
Frederiksen called Macron’s visit “yet another concrete testament to European unity” in the face of Trump’s threats.
In May, Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said in an interview with POLITICO that the country wanted to deepen cooperation with the European Union, with mineral resources being the primary area where they could join forces.
Greenland is rich in minerals such as uranium and graphite, both of which are crucial to manufacturing and global supply chains. Still, the country’s mineral stores remain largely unexplored and untapped.
The U.S. has long maintained a military presence on Greenland. In March, U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited the Pituffik Space Base, which boasts the Pentagon’s northernmost deepwater port and has long functioned as a strategic location to watch Russia and China.
Vance urged the island to “cut a deal” with Washington, saying, “I think that you’d be a lot better coming under the United States security umbrella than you have been under Denmark’s security umbrella.”
“You cannot annex another country,” Frederiksen countered after Vance’s remarks in Greenland. “Not even with an argument about international security.”
French president to join Danish PM in Greenland to signal “European unity”
French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Greenland on June 15 alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. The visit comes in the wake of repeated remarks by US President Donald Trump, who has insisted that the United States should annexe Greenland. Trump has framed the move as essential to US national security and has criticised Denmark for what he calls insufficient defence investment on the island. Danish lawmakers narrowly passed a controversial resolution (212 in favour, 198 against) supporting the possibility of military assistance to Denmark should tensions with Washington escalate over Greenland.
French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Greenland on June 15 alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, in a symbolic demonstration of European solidarity in the face of mounting pressure from the United States to take control of the mineral-rich Arctic territory.
According to a statement from Frederiksen’s office, the visit will include discussions on Arctic security with Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Premier of Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, Caliber.Az reports, citing Euractiv.
The leaders are also expected to address issues related to economic development, climate change, and energy policy.
“In recent months, the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland have faced a difficult foreign policy situation. It has been uplifting to see such strong international support,” Frederiksen said in the press release. “President Macron’s forthcoming visit is another concrete expression of European unity.”
The visit comes in the wake of repeated remarks by US President Donald Trump, who has insisted that the United States should annexe Greenland to secure a strategic foothold in the Arctic amid growing Russian and Chinese activity in the region. Trump has framed the move as essential to US national security and has criticised Denmark for what he calls insufficient defence investment on the island.
On 5 June, French lawmakers narrowly passed a controversial resolution (212 in favour, 198 against) supporting the possibility of military assistance to Denmark should tensions with Washington escalate over Greenland. Frederiksen, speaking on June 5, accused the US of exerting “unacceptable pressure on Greenland and Denmark,” despite the two nations’ longstanding alliance.
Macron’s trip was widely expected following reports in the Greenlandic press. The newspaper Sermitsiaq had earlier reported, citing reliable sources, that the French president was planning a visit to the island this summer. In May, Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt travelled to Paris, where she personally delivered an invitation to Macron.
Greenland’s geopolitical significance continues to grow due to its location spanning the North Atlantic and the Arctic, as well as its vast reserves of critical minerals and fossil fuels. The island already hosts a US airbase and early-warning radar facilities. Although a decades-old treaty permits the US to expand its military footprint on Greenland, the idea of formal annexation has been met with strong opposition from both Greenlanders and Danes.
In response to US pressure, Denmark has pledged to increase its defence spending in the region.
By Tamilla Hasanova
France, Denmark show unity amid US interest in Greenland
France’s Emmanuel Macron, along with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, will visit the autonomous territory on June 15. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland despite Denmark’s firm rejections. Greenland has been part of Denmark since the 18th century and was granted home rule in 1979. Both Denmark and Greenland have rejected any proposal to sell the territory.
France’s Emmanuel Macron, along with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, whose country Greenland is part of, will visit the autonomous territory on June 15, said a statement by Frederiksen’s office on Saturday.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the head of Greenland’s parliament, will talk with Macron and Frederiksen about security in the North Atlantic, along with topics such as economic development, the climate crisis, and energy.
“It has been encouraging to experience the great international support for Greenland and the Kingdom in the difficult foreign policy situation in recent months,” said Frederiksen in the statement, praising Macron’s visit as “yet another concrete testament to European unity.”
Related TRT Global – China backs Denmark on Greenland amid US pressure
Interest spurned
Since returning to the Oval Office in January, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland despite Denmark’s firm rejections.
Greenland has been part of Denmark since the 18th century and was granted home rule in 1979.
Situated between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, it is rich in minerals and strategically located.
Both Denmark and Greenland have rejected any proposal to sell the territory.
A January survey found that an overwhelming 85 percent of Greenlanders oppose joining the US.
In March, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen urged European countries to stand with the territory to help make clear that it “is not and will never be for sale,” adding: “Greenland is run by the Greenlandic people, and that will never change.”
France’s Macron to Visit Greenland in Show of Solidarity with Denmark
U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed interest in taking over Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron will meet with Greenland’s prime minister. The leaders will discuss security in the North Atlantic and climate change. The meeting will take place on June 15 in Greenland’s capital city of Gullfors, says the prime minister’s office. It is the first time a French president has visited Greenland.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and the French leader said they will meet in the semiautonomous Danish territory on June 15, hosted by Greenland’s new prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
The visit by Macron, whose nuclear-armed country has one of the EU’s strongest militaries, comes as U.S. President Donald Trump hasn’t ruled out using force to carry out his desire for the resource-rich and strategically located island to become part of the United States.
While the issue of U.S. interest in Greenland has drifted from the headlines in recent weeks, Nielsen said in late April that such comments by U.S. leaders have been disrespectful and that Greenland will never be “a piece of property” that anyone can buy.
In the statement Saturday, Frederiksen acknowledged the “difficult foreign policy situation in recent months” but praised “great international support” for Greenland and Denmark.
“President Macron’s upcoming visit to Greenland is yet another concrete testament to European unity,” she said, alluding to the membership of France and Denmark in the 27-member-country EU.
The three leaders were expected to discuss security in the North Atlantic and the Arctic, as well as issues of economic development, climate change and energy during the visit, her office said.