Final Training of the "Asthma from A to Z" Project Held

Final Training Session of "Asthma from A to Z" Project Completed National Allergy and Immunology Association and GSK Turkey jointly implemented the "Asthma from A to Z" project's final training session at the World Allergy Congress held in Istanbul under the National Allergy and Immunology Association's hosting. Within the scope of the project, training on asthma and severe asthma was provided by leading academic physicians in the fields of allergy and immunology to specialists in immunology and allergic diseases. The final phase of the "Asthma from A to Z" educational project, implemented through collaboration between the National Allergy and Immunology Association and GSK Turkey for physicians continuing specialization in the field of allergy, was completed at the World Allergy Congress held in Istanbul between 13-15 October. In the training sessions provided to subspecialist physicians by leading academic physicians in the fields of allergy and immunology, asthma and severe asthma topics were examined. Approximately 700 physicians participated in the project, which began in April and has organized 4 training sessions to date. In these 4 training sessions, asthma definition and diagnostic methods; asthma pathogenesis; severe asthma phenotypes, endotypes and comorbidities, and biological treatments in severe asthma in children and adults were addressed in detail.

3.7 percent of asthma patients worldwide have severe asthma

Prof. Dr. Dilşad Mungan, President of the National Allergy and Immunology Association, who participated in the final training held within the congress, also drew attention to severe asthma disease. "We call asthma that cannot be controlled despite appropriate medication dosing; the patient's full adherence to treatment, treatment of comorbid conditions, and elimination of environmental and occupational exposure, as severe asthma. We know that 3.7 percent of all asthma patients worldwide have severe asthma. Although it is a disease with a more severe course than asthma seen in the majority of the population, I would like to emphasize that options are available to reduce the symptoms of severe asthma and that asthma patients should pay attention to eosinophil counts in their blood tests," said Mungan, also highlighting the "Asthma from A to Z" Project. Mungan stated: "Severe asthma is a disease with lower prevalence in the population compared to ordinary asthma. Creating awareness about severe asthma among young colleagues aiming to specialize in the field of allergy is quite important for public health. The "Asthma from A to Z" Project implemented through collaboration between the National Allergy and Immunology Association, which I chair, and GSK Turkey is a highly valuable initiative in creating this awareness. I followed the project with great pleasure, with the contribution of many colleagues expert in the field as trainers, speakers and moderators. The fact that the final training of this project was completed within the scope of the World Allergy Congress held for the first time in our country is also a source of special pride. I sincerely congratulate everyone who contributed to the project," he said. Selim Giray, General Director of GSK Turkey, expressed their happiness at being a supporter of the project, stating: "As GSK Turkey, we contribute to public health not only through our product portfolio but also through projects we implement. Contributing to the professional development of our physicians, who are the most important part of the health system, constitutes an important part of our efforts in this direction. In this context, we take great pride in the support we provide as scientific stakeholders to this special project carried out by the National Allergy and Immunology Association. We will continue to support valuable projects that we believe will contribute to our physicians. I thank once again everyone who contributed to this wonderful project." he expressed.

Leading academic physicians provided training

The project, conducted under the responsibility of Prof. Dr. Özge Soyer, Board Member of the Turkish National Allergy and Clinical Immunology Association, held its first training online on 22 April 2022. In this training, participants were given general information on asthma definition and diagnostic methods. In the second training held online on 27 June, asthma pathogenesis was discussed, while in the training held on 12 September, asthma phenotypes, endotypes and comorbidities were addressed. The 4th and final training organized within the project was held on 15 October within the World Allergy Congress. In this session, the topic of biological treatments in severe asthma in children and adults was discussed.