It all starts with a diagnosis

When you’re unwell, the first step towards feeling better is an accurate diagnosis of what’s going wrong.

People who have difficulty breathing often wait years for a formal diagnosis or worse, never receive one at all. In part, this is because society doesn’t always take breathlessness seriously, or consider lung problems as worthy of attention as other diseases.

Even when people do approach their GPs or visit a healthcare professional, diagnosis is still too slow. That’s because tests and procedures to detect and diagnose conditions haven’t evolved or improved for far too long.

The first step to better lung health

Tests are often inaccurate, unpleasant, invasive, costly, and unavailable outside of specialist hospital settings. Asthma, one of the UK’s most common lung conditions, is both under and over diagnosed. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – conditions that have a huge impact on people’s quality of life – can be misdiagnosed or left unexplained for years.

This, and the lack of effective diagnostic procedures means people don’t receive the care they need. Their lungs and lung function can significantly deteriorate in the months and years they wait before getting onto the right treatment. Once your lungs are damaged, it is extremely difficult to reverse that damage. Treatments today rarely bring people back to full health but rather slow further decline and improve the quality-of-life left. That's why it's so important to stop that decline as soon as possible, and that starts with a speedy and accurate diagnosis.

Our investment in improving diagnosis

So, Asthma + Lung UK is investing £2 million in exceptional science and product innovation to support earlier, simpler, faster, kinder, and more accurate diagnosis of lung conditions. Scientists and innovators have until the end of January to apply for funding for projects that will lead to the development of new or improved diagnostic products.

Nobody should be left without a diagnosis that explains why their lungs aren’t working as they should. Nor should the process of receiving that explanation be convoluted and hard work.

If we are serious about reducing respiratory deaths and ill health by 20% in five years, research needs to start with the very first step to treating lung conditions, improving diagnosis, so that people have access to the very best care and treatments from day one.

Find out more about our research grants here.