GERMANY

Population: 83.2 million
Respiratory disease burden: 13.4 million
Coalition name: German Respiratory Coalition
Joined IRC in: 2026

About the coalition
The German Respiratory Coalition joined IRC in 2026, founded by three organisations: the German Respiratory Society, the German Paediatric Respiratory Society, and the German Society of Thoracic Surgery. Together, they bring expertise spanning both adult and paediatric lung health and lung surgery.
The coalition’s mission is to promote lung health and improve respiratory care for people across Germany. Among its first priorities is supporting Germany’s lung cancer screening programme, launching in April 2026 – a landmark initiative that will need coordinated effort from across the respiratory field.
The coalition hopes to serve as a nucleus for a broader coalition, drawing in patient representatives, different levels of care, and research collaborators over time.
Active areas of work
- Lung cancer screening among high-risk individuals
- Smoking cessation – inclusive of nicotine and tobacco products
Coalition partners
German Respiratory Society
German Paediatric Respiratory Society
German Society of Thoracic Surgery