To raise awareness across Europe of the importance of respiratory health and to improve the prevention of respiratory diseases by promoting innovative treatment methods and supporting healthcare provision to ensure a better quality of life for patients. This is the objective of the European Joint Action (JA) JARED (Joint Action on REspiratory Diseases). Chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung diseases and occupational lung diseases, represent a serious public health problem across Europe, and JARED is the first collaborative project (‘joint action’) between European Union Member States in the field of chronic respiratory diseases. The JA is supported by the EU4Health programme with nearly €5 million, brings together 38 organisations from 17 countries (including Italy, coordinated by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, ISS) in the fields of healthcare, research and education, and represents a strong commitment by European countries to develop and implement preventive initiatives covering all key aspects of respiratory health.

 

JARED began on 1 December 2024 and will run until 30 November 2027. It is coordinated by the Hungarian National Institute of Pulmonology (National Korányi Institute for Pulmonology – OKPI).

 

One of the main objectives of this project is to connect member states across the EU and enhance joint action to prevent, detect and treat these kinds of diseases. In the framework of JARED, several innovative approaches are also implemented, such as digital health solutions that allow patients to monitor and manage their own condition on a better way, especially in remote or disadvantaged regions. In addition to all these, the project pays special attention to disadvantaged groups, such as ethnic minorities and rural populations, who are often at higher risk from the perspective of developing chronic respiratory diseases CRDs.

 

Other key areas of the project include supporting preventive vaccinations, reducing smoking, improving indoor air quality, preventing occupational respiratory diseases, increasing early detection of respiratory diseases, developing multidisciplinary patient care, and developing respiratory rehabilitation with a self-treatment support. One of the novelties of JARED is that it integrates lung cancer screening and COPD early detection programs, which make the treatment of high-risk individuals more effective.

 

Overall, JARED aims to significantly reduce the burden of respiratory diseases in Europe, improve early detection and support patient self-treatment, especially among the most vulnerable social groups. The project also creates large-scale collaboration between member states of the EU. Finally, its mission is to sustainably reduce the incidence of CRD, significantly improve the quality of life for patients and integrate research findings into health policy and practice.

 

Member States and institutions participating in the JARED project

 

 

Italy’s participation in the project is coordinated by the Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic and Ageing Diseases at the ISS. The ISS is supported by three Italian universities:

• University of Florence
• Federico II University of Naples
• Polytechnic University of Marche.

JARED involves the use of innovative technologies, such as telemedicine, which enable patients to monitor their own conditions independently and allow healthcare institutions to improve patient management. Furthermore, within the JA, particular attention is paid to those who are geographically or socially disadvantaged by combining innovative digital health technologies to improve access to diagnostic tools and health literacy.

 

As part of the preventive measures envisaged by the project, a set of measures aimed at optimising indoor air quality is currently being developed. Furthermore, educational materials will be produced alongside the organisation of training events for patients and healthcare professionals. The project will highlight the importance of clean air and the harmful effects of new nicotine-containing products on lung defences.

 

The project is divided into eight Work Packages (WPs), corresponding to the main lines of research, dissemination, and project management:

 

WP1 - Coordination and project management:

Ensures optimal management and implementation of all project activities, with particular attention to achieving the predefined objectives. It operates in full compliance with timelines, budget constraints, and defined quality standards (leader: National Korányi Institute of Pulmonology, Hungary).

 

WP2 - Communication, dissemination and awareness raising:

Focuses on defining targeted strategies for the dissemination, communication, and awareness raising of the project activities and results (leader: Regional Health Authority of Attica “1ST YPE ATTICA”, Greece; co-leader: National Center for Public Health and Pharmacy “NNGYK”, Hungary).

 

WP3 - Evaluation:

Oversees project implementation by assessing activities in terms of process adherence, outputs, outcomes, and impact, following a defined evaluation plan. It provides support throughout all phases of execution, monitoring, and achievement of project objectives (leader: Andalusian Health Service “SAS”, Spain).

 

WP4 - Sustainability:

Ensures the long-term effectiveness of initiatives aimed at reducing the impact of chronic respiratory diseases, fostering strong stakeholder engagement and collaboration, securing continuous funding for ongoing activities, influencing public health policies to scale up results, and promoting health equity to reduce inequalities in access to care (leader: National Korányi Institute of Pulmonology, Hungary).

 

WP5 - Prevention of Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRDs) with focus on early lung development:

Contributes to vaccination promotion and strengthens respiratory disease prevention strategies. It supports schools with methodological tools to reduce tobacco use and proposes interventions to limit early exposure to air pollutants, thereby reducing the risk of worsening chronic respiratory diseases. It also develops solutions for preventing respiratory infections in long-term care facilities (leader: Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Latvia).

 

WP6 - Early detection, diagnosis and treatment of chronic respiratory diseases:

Focuses on improving early diagnosis and treatment of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other lung diseases, with particular attention to primary healthcare. The aim is to increase awareness among healthcare professionals, enhance diagnostic skills through tools such as spirometry and screening tests, and strengthen collaboration between primary and secondary care. WP6 promotes appropriate use of anti-inflammatory treatments for mild asthma, improves patient education for effective self-management, and develops specific programmes for asthma and COPD patients. It also prioritizes support for elderly patients with chronic respiratory diseases through innovative digital solutions (leader: Finnish Lung Health Association, Finland).

 

WP7 - Living with chronic respiratory diseases – a life-span approach:

Focuses on patient-centred innovative approaches addressing all key aspects of COPD and other chronic respiratory disease management. It aims to overcome lack of understanding, communication barriers, and stigma by promoting social interaction and facilitating patient group meetings both in person and online, using digital tools and multidisciplinary collaboration (leader: University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia).

 

WP8 - Reach-out to high-risk vulnerable people:

Focuses on improving awareness, health education, and self-management of chronic respiratory diseases among vulnerable populations, including socially disadvantaged groups, migrants, ethnic minorities, and communities in remote areas. It promotes access to healthcare services through telemedicine and supports workplace-based management for workers exposed to occupational or environmental respiratory risks. A key objective is to develop an effective occupational health surveillance strategy for early detection of occupational asthma. Training materials and specialised courses will also be developed for workers and healthcare professionals, with a focus on chronic respiratory diseases and their implications (leader: National Institute of Health, Italy).

 

Role of ISS (Italian National Institute of Health)

Within the JARED Joint Action, ISS, as the Italian competent authority, coordinates the three Italian partners (University of Florence, University of Naples Federico II, and Polytechnic University of Marche) and participates in the entire project, particularly in Work Packages 5, 6, 7, and 8, involving the Department of Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic diseases and Aging (MACA) and, for specific activities, the ISS National Center for Global Health. In particular:

• WP5: MACA contributes to updating and improving current smoking cessation and prevention methodologies, also integrating new-generation tobacco and nicotine products based on available scientific evidence.
• WP6: MACA contributes to the development of questionnaires aimed at collecting information on diagnostic, treatment, and management practices for patients with sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, or non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease in the European countries participating in the JARED project.
• WP7: As leader of Task 7.3 – “Elderly citizens living with chronic respiratory diseases”, MACA assesses health literacy and self-management skills in elderly people with multimorbidity using recognized and validated international tools.
• WP8: MACA, as WP leader, organizes and manages initiatives aimed at improving awareness, promoting self-management, and facilitating access to healthcare services for vulnerable populations affected by chronic respiratory diseases.

Tecnical data of the JA

• Project ID: 101183391
• Project duration: 36 months
• Implementation period: 01.12.2024 – 30.11.2027
• Total project funding: EUR 6,000,000
• Funding allocated to Istituto Superiore di Sanità: EUR 303 461,51
• Coordinator: National Korányi Institute for Pulmonology (NKIP)
• Contact persons in ISS: Brigid Unim brigid.unim@iss.it/a>; Marco Silano marco.silano@iss.it

Results and publication of the Joint Action

The results of the European Joint Action JARED (Joint Action on Respiratory Diseases) will be uploaded to this page as soon as they are available.

 

For further information:

• the JARED website
• the European Commission website

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.