Alpha-1 Foundation Ireland

17/10/2026

And we are off! Professor Gerry McElvaney starts our Annual Alpha-1 Foundation Ireland Patient and Family Conference for 2026 with a great talk about detection of Alpha-1 and the new treatments being developed.

16/10/2026

We are finishing preparations here in the Alpha-1 Foundation Ireland office today for our annual Alpha-1 Patient & Family Conference taking place tomorrow. We have over 70 people confirmed and a host of excellent speakers travelling from near and far (Seattle, USA) to talk about the latest developments in .

There are still a few places left so if you would like to register - all you have to do is click here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeexfGfGJhq3Gao3LMrghlww3woeDV9Lkz-OV75hEMOrBxaKQ/viewform

14/10/2026

09/10/2026

New Webinar for Alpha-1 in November

We are pleased to advertise the upcoming EARCO Alpha-1 Patient Webinar, taking place on 4th November 2026 from 18:30 to 19:45 CET (5.30pm to 6.45pm Irish time).

To register visit: https://europeanlung.org/en/get-involved/events/alpha-1-patient-webinar-latest-research-updates-and-live-qa/

The webinar is aimed at people living with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, their families and carers, patient organisations, and healthcare professionals interested in Alpha-1 research and patient involvement.

Please like and share to help reach as many members of the Alpha-1 community as possible.

08/10/2026

With less than 10 days until our annual Alpha-1 patient & family conference in Dublin, the speaker spotlight is on Professor Gerry McElvaney from Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Gerry is the clinical lead at the HSE Ireland National Centre of Expertise for Alpha-1 at Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9. Gerry has been caring for people with Alpha-1, studying the condition for over 35 years, and is leading several exciting new clinical trials.

There are still places available for this exciting meeting - to register visit this link: https://tinyurl.com/4eu645u8

06/10/2026

Just under 2 weeks to go to the Annual Alpha-1 Patient & Family Conference! Attendance is free and we have a host of interesting speakers including international experts in .

Register at the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeexfGfGJhq3Gao3LMrghlww3woeDV9Lkz-OV75hEMOrBxaKQ/viewform

30/09/2026

A new report called "Respiratory Health of the Nation 2026" has just been published by the Irish Thoracic Society.

Alpha-1 Foundation Ireland was delighted to be asked to contribute facts and figures on alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in Ireland - the most common genetic cause of .

Respiratory disease is among the most common causes of illness, hospital admission and death in Ireland, yet it has never received policy attention in proportion to its burden.

📊 In 2024, respiratory disease caused almost 1 in 5 of all deaths in Ireland.
🎗️ Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, accounting for 1 in 5 cancer deaths in 2023.
🌫️ Air pollution is estimated to cause more than 1,700 premature deaths in Ireland each year.
🏥 In 2025, respiratory disease accounted for 82,003 inpatient admissions and 13.3% of inpatient bed days.
⏳ 29,169 adults were waiting for a first respiratory outpatient appointment in July 2026, 54% more than in January 2022.

👉 Irish Thoracic Society are calling on the Government to develop and implement a National Respiratory Strategy. This would be one strategy spanning prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and end-of-life care, backed by a funded implementation plan. The 1st step in delivering this strategy is is the creation of an expert steering group.

📖 Read the full report here:

29/09/2026

25/09/2026

Today is World Lung Day. Please like and share to get people talking about

24/09/2026

A great morning at Buswells Hotel today, bringing together organisations from across respiratory, environmental and public health. 💙

Together, we had the opportunity to meet with TDs and Senators, share the experiences of people living with respiratory conditions and highlight the policy action needed to improve lung health in Ireland.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the morning such a collaborative and valuable event.

Stronger together for better lung health.

Read more here: https://bit.ly/4hpT4ZE

COPD Support Groups Ireland Irish Thoracic Society Alpha-1 Foundation Ireland

This event is kindly supported by MSD Ireland who had no influence over any aspect of the design, delivery, or content of the event.