The Romanian Society of Pneumology and its old and new paths

The Romanian Society of Pneumology (SRP), a traditional professional organisation with many active contributions to Romanian pulmonology, recently held its 28th Congress of Pulmonologists. This event marked record-breaking numbers: 1514 participants, 24 international speakers and 190 Romanian speakers. Absolute firsts, beyond the impressive attendance of over 1500 participants and over 200 speakers, included the increased number of sessions: 42 major symposia, 25 satellite symposia and 14 pre-congress courses. Additionally, there were 8 oral presentations comprising 104 talks, supplemented by a session featuring 18 posters.

Certainly, the interest in participating in this event was also driven by the scientific quality of the presentations. Once again, it is worth highlighting, on the one hand, the active involvement of young professionals (who contributed to over 80% of the oral presentations) and, on the other hand, the support and presence of 34 exhibition stands from pharmaceutical and medical device companies (another numerical novelty in participation).

The efforts of section leaders and working groups were reflected in a well-chosen and highly relevant variety of topics. For instance, the pre-congress courses covered key areas such as bronchoscopy for beginners, non-invasive ventilation, lung transplantation, and complications of drug dependency, among others. Subsequently, the core of the scientific ‘bombardment’ focussed on large categories of diseases, such as New and Old in Chronic Obstructive Diseases, Multidisciplinary Challenges, Respiratory Rehabilitation: Science and Art, Grand Round – Case Presentations, Asthma and COPD: A Respiratory Tandem and others. There were also a few interesting Pro/Con debates such as Inhaled Corticosteroids and Triple Therapy for All Patients with COPD in Group E: YES or NO?, Technology and Rehabilitation and Outdoor Physical Exercise.

The packed halls were a testament to the success of the carefully chosen topics presented to fellow pulmonologists. On the contrary, corporate symposia also completed the image of this congress, offering analyses of new treatments such as triple therapy for COPD and asthma, as well as biological therapies for both conditions. Of course, updates were also revisited and provided for older treatment lines such as those for smoking cessation, mucolytic therapy and pulmonary hypertension treatment.

The congress marked an important milestone in the evolution of this professional association. Shortly afterwards, another significant event took place in the life of the SRP — World COPD Day (20 November 2024), held under the slogan: ‘Know Your Lung Function’. Pulmonologists once again demonstrated their commitment to raising awareness about the burden and importance of this condition. Thanks to their dedication, another campaign was organised the following weekend with a clear call to action: ‘Free Spirometry: Know Your Lung Function’. At the events held on this occasion in Bucharest and Timișoara, over 1000 people were tested, demonstrating a genuine public interest in prevention. The atmosphere was one of intense work, with teams of highly involved and dedicated doctors and nurses explaining the results of each spirometry test in detail.

The diversity of participants eager to undergo this investigation highlighted the areas that need to be addressed in future COPD-related efforts. Spirometry tests were performed by a range of individuals, from young smokers aware of the potential consequences of tobacco addiction to elderly people already experiencing respiratory symptoms, which they tended to downplay.

The following week featured another important doctor-patient meeting: Inhaler Devices, an event held annually. This gathering was valuable not only for the attending physicians but also especially for the patients.

On 13–14 December, the last event on the long list of conferences in the SRP calendar took place: the 14th Conference of Resident Physicians. Thirty-eight young specialists participated, presenting case studies that sparked significant interest from the audience. This traditional event provided a scientific platform for the next generation of pulmonologists to showcase their expertise.

Thus, the SRP concludes a fruitful year with a variety of events that promoted Romanian pulmonology in multiple directions while maintaining an ongoing dialogue with authorities, medical communities, residents and patients.