Better Breathing Week 2027 is the Lung Health Foundation’s national conference, bringing together the full respiratory care community to drive meaningful change in lung health across Canada.
The 2027 program is built around a central theme: Bridging the Evidence to Practice Gap—positioning the conference as the national forum where research, policy, and innovation translate into real-world action at the point of care.
The conference is designed with primary care providers at the centre, ensuring all content is clinically relevant, practical, and immediately applicable. Respirologists, researchers, and allied health professionals contribute to a highly interdisciplinary environment, while patient advocates participate as structured contributors to ensure care delivery reflects lived experience.
Save the Date
Better Breathing Week will take place fully in-person this year. All speakers must be able to attend in person.
Date: Thursday, February 18th and Friday, February 19th, 2027.
Location: Hyatt Regency Toronto – 370 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 1J9
We invite abstract submissions that showcase programs, research, innovations, and initiatives that translate evidence into practice and drive measurable improvements in lung health. Submissions should demonstrate:
- Practical application in clinical or community settings, particularly in primary care
- Real-world implementation strategies and scalability
- Impact on patient outcomes, health system efficiency, or care delivery
- Contributions to addressing system-level gaps (e.g., access, coordination, delays in care, workforce challenges)
Submissions aligned with prevention and population health, including air quality, nicotine cessation, and immunization, are strongly encouraged. We also strongly encourage submissions that incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles particularly those addressing disparities in lung health, improving equitable access to care, and elevating underrepresented voices, including people with lived experience.
If you have any questions, please contact: conferences@lunghealth.ca
Abstract Requirements
Abstracts must be:
- Original and not previously published
- Submitted by a registered participant
- Accompanied by a Conflict of Interest (CoI) declaration
- Approved by all co-authors
- Focused on at least one of the following:
- Lung Health Foundation priority disease areas: asthma, COPD, lung cancer
- Prevention and intervention strategies: air quality, nicotine cessation, vaccination
- Health system improvement, implementation, or practice change
Submission Categories
1. Interactive Lectures
- Format: Expert-led sessions translating recent evidence into practical clinical application, including “what this means for practice” discussions.
- Duration: 35 minutes + 10-minute Q&A
- Eligibility: Clinicians, researchers, healthcare professionals (could also be in collaboration with a person with lived experience)
2. Clinical Case Discussions
- Format: Interactive panel discussions using real-world cases to explore diagnostic, management, and system-level challenges.
- Duration: 35 minutes + 10-minute Q&A
- Eligibility: Clinicians, researchers, healthcare professionals
3. Workshops
- Format: Hands-on, skills-based sessions focused on practical application (e.g., spirometry, inhaler technique, clinical decision-making, implementation tools).
- Duration: 75 minutes
- Eligibility: Facilitators delivering applied, practice-oriented learning
4. Debates
- Format: Structured discussions on controversial or evolving topics, emphasizing implications for frontline care.
- Duration: 60–75 minutes
- Eligibility: Subject matter experts
5. Poster Presentations
- Format: Visual presentations of research, programs, or initiatives. Submissions may include early-stage or ongoing work, including project proposals, to support knowledge exchange and invite feedback.
- Session: In-person on February 18th
- Eligibility: Trainees (e.g., graduate students and medical students), researchers, clinicians, policy experts, and collaborations with people with lived experience.
6. Three-Minute Thesis Competition
- Format: Research presentations delivered in three minutes for a non-specialist audience
- Session: In person on February 18
- Eligibility: Graduate students
7. Oral Research Presentations
- Format: Presentations of completed research with clear implications for clinical practice, health systems, or population health.
We particularly encourage submissions that address:
- Implementation science and translating evidence into practice
- Health system transformation and quality improvement
- AI/ML applications in care delivery
- Behaviour change and patient engagement
- Program implementation and sustainability
- Session: February 18th and 19th
- Eligibility: Trainees, clinicians, researchers
Abstract Submission Details
- Opening Date: May 15th, 2026
- Closing Date: August 15th, 2026
Detailed presenter instructions will be provided upon acceptance.
Evaluation Criteria
Abstracts will be evaluated based on:
- Relevance to clinical practice—particularly primary care
- Strength of evidence-to-practice translation, including implementation science and quality improvement approache
- Potential for real-world impact on patient care or health systems
- Alignment with conference priorities and topic areas
- Engagement of interdisciplinary and/or lived experience perspectives
All submissions will undergo blind review by the Scientific Planning Committee. Accepted abstracts will be assigned to the most appropriate session format, with consideration given to author preference.
If you have any questions about the conference or abstract submission, please reach out to the Lung Health Foundation at conferences@lunghealth.ca.
