Spring into Action Campaign

International Primary Care Respiratory Group

Web Editorial Team

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Spring into Action Campaign - Backgrounder

(Download backgrounder as Word document)

Spring into Action logo

Asthma is a chronic disease that can have a significant impact on patients' quality of life and even prove fatal. Although asthma cannot be cured, it can be treated effectively. Research shows that with proper treatment, nearly all asthma patients can achieve and maintain asthma control, enabling them to live full and active lives.

However, when uncontrolled, asthma can place severe limits on daily life, and the risk of asthma attacks increases

The International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG), and the World Organisation of Family Doctors (Wonca), have united to launch the Spring into Action asthma campaign in co-operation with AstraZeneca. By surveying a patient population of 1,800 asthma patients from the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Korea, Australia, and Brazil, the campaign hopes to:

Highlight the need for, and contribute to, a better understanding of asthma and its management.
Motivate physicians to ensure their patients are better informed on how to use their medications effectively to achieve asthma control and minimise the risk of asthma attacks.
Motivate patients to work with their physicians to achieve better day-to-day symptom control with minimal impairment of daily life.

The survey has been developed jointly by the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG), the World Organisation of Family Doctors (Wonca) and AstraZeneca. The omnibus survey was conducted by Synovate Healthcare and financed by AstraZeneca. The involved parties have had full access to the survey data and contributed to the interpretation of the results and have agreed on the conclusions.

For further information on the Spring into Action campaign, please visit any of the following organisation's websites.

IPCRG

Founded in 2000, the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) is a charitable organisation that provides an international umbrella for national primary care respiratory interest groups. It is committed to improving the care of people with respiratory problems commonly found in the community, such as asthma, COPD, allergic rhinitis, smoking and respiratory tract infections. It believes that the best place to diagnose and treat most of these people is in the community where they live and work, and that the best way to do this is through the provision of high quality primary and community care. By facilitating an international network of respiratory groups, the IPCRG is able to undertake "real life" research in community settings, lead the production and dissemination of evidence-based guidelines appropriate for primary care professionals, and develop education programmes to support changes in practice.

The IPCRG is currently composed of 16 national primary care respiratory interest groups from across the world; and another 20 associate member countries. IPCRG is an Organisation in Collaborative Relations with Wonca.

For further information, please visit: www.theipcrg.org.

Wonca

Established in 1972, The World Organisation of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians (Wonca) is an international advocate for organisations involved with general practice and family medicine. It was created to improve the quality of life of patients throughout the world.

Wonca is concerned with the relationship between the health of patients and the standards of care in general practice. By facilitating a forum to exchange knowledge and information between member organisations, Wonca is able to promote the concept of family medicine and encourage personal, comprehensive and continuing care for patients. It is also able to develop and launch initiatives to support the academic development of general practitioners and to foster high standards of care in general practice and family medicine.

Wonca is currently made up of world council, regional council, committees, working groups, and special interest groups. It comprises 119 member organisations in 99 countries and has a total membership of 250,000 family physicians and general practitioners.

For further information, please visit: www.globalfamilydoctor.com.

AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies, with a broad range of medicines designed to fight disease in important areas of healthcare: gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, cancer and infection. Backed by strong science AstraZeneca is committed to the delivery of a flow of new medicines that bring benefit for patients and add value for wider society.

For further information, please visit: www.astrazeneca.com.

Contact details
Emily James / Georgie Griffith
Cohn & Wolfe
Telephone: +44 20 7331 2336 / 5369
Email: emily_james@uk.cohnwolfe.com and georgie_griffith@uk.cohnwolfe.com

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