The National Asthma Council is a member of several leading global respiratory health organisations.
The National Asthma Council (NAC) has a well-established international reputation. The NAC contributes to an international voice working together and sharing evidence, knowledge and resources to raise awareness about asthma and lung health and improve care and management globally.
The International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG), founded in June 2000, is a global network of interest groups focusing on primary care respiratory management. The NAC is a founding member and is the member organisation representing Australia.
The IPCRG's aim is to use its international network to undertake research in community settings; to lead the production and dissemination of evidence-based guidelines appropriate for primary care professionals; and to develop education programs to support that dissemination and changes in practice. The NAC partnered with IPCRG to deliver the Asthma Right Care program in Australia, a program that is now available in 17 countries.
Visit the IPCRG website.
The NAC is a member of Global Allergy and Airways Patient (GAAPP) and ongoingly supports global campaigns including World Lung Day, World COPD Day and World Asthma Day. The NAC also supports GAAPP by disseminating its Asthma and COPD Patient and Carer Survey and sharing resources.
The NAC is a member of Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD), a World Health Organisation (WHO) initiative, with exclusive access to its communication platform and resources. NAC regularly contributes resources to GARD’s international knowledge platform, showcasing the NAC’s leading work in asthma management in Australia.
Our close connection with the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) links the NAC to an international network of health care professionals, patient and public representatives working towards reducing asthma’s prevalence, morbidity and mortality. We contribute to key asthma forums, refer to GINA’s evidence-based strategies for asthma management and support GINA’s World Asthma Day via our health professional networks and digital platforms.
The NAC remains in close consultation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), building on our existing relationship dating back to the phasing out of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, a landmark multilateral environmental agreement, adopted in 1987.
The NAC played a key role in the successful phase-out of CFC-containing inhalers in Australia in partnership with the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, and with other stakeholders.
Our former CEO, Ms Kristine Whorlow, is an Australian Government nominee to the UNEP Medical Technical Options Committee which focuses on the phase-out of CFC-containing metered dose inhalers.
The NAC’s ongoing connection with the Medical and Chemical Technical Options Committee also enables the NAC to stay up to date with international discourse regarding relevant environmental issues.