World COPD Day – November 19, 2025

History of World COPD Day

In the past, physicians have used different terms to describe what was likely C.O.P.D. In 1679, Swiss physician Théophile Bonet referred to “voluminous lungs,” and in 1769, Italian anatomist Giovanni Morgagni reported 19 cases of “turgid” lungs. In 1814, chronic bronchitis was first identified as a disabling health condition and part of C.O.P.D. by British physician Charles Badham. He was the first person to use the term ‘catarrh’ to describe the ongoing cough and excessive mucus that C.O.P.D. produces. In 1821, physician René Laënnec, the inventor of the stethoscope, recognized emphysema as another component of C.O.P.D. As smoking wasn’t common during the early 1800s, he identified air pollution and genetic factors as the principal causes of the development of C.O.P.D. In 1846, John Hutchinson invented the spirometer, which measures vital lung capacity and is still an essential tool in diagnosing C.O.P.D. today.

The first person thought to use the term “chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder” was Dr. William Briscoe at the 9th Aspen Emphysema Conference in June 1965. In 1976, Charles Fletcher, a physician, linked smoking to C.O.P.D. in his book “The Natural History of Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema.” He and his colleagues discovered that stopping smoking could help to slow the progress of C.O.P.D. In the past, oxygen therapy, steroid treatment, and exercise were considered dangerous for people with C.O.P.D. Inhalers and mechanical ventilators were introduced in the early 1960s. The concept of pulmonary rehabilitation and home care was also introduced at the ninth Aspen Emphysema Conference. Today, long-term oxygen therapy through these means is the only treatment known to alter the course of C.O.P.D.

The 1990s saw a rise in the use of medication to manage C.O.P.D. symptoms and restore pulmonary function. The promotion of C.O.P.D. education meant quitting smoking and clean air awareness became the primary focus of self-care treatment. Healthcare professionals stress the importance of diet and physical exercise as part of a C.O.P.D. rehabilitation program.