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Respiratory Tracker: HCPs warn of looming ‘quad-demic’ this winter

07.02.2025 | Tracker

Respiratory Tracker: HCPs warn of looming ‘quad-demic’ this winter

Throughout October-December 2024, CREATION Pinpoint® tracked the conversations of UK online healthcare professionals (HCPs) discussing respiratory diseases on X (Twitter). We analysed 4,751 posts discussing respiratory diseases by 1,451 HCPs.

November was a pivotal month for HCPs having respiratory health conversations online, with #WorldCOPDday drawing attention to COPD and the British Thoracic Society (BTS) 2024 Winter Meeting. While this year’s meeting garnered 180 mentions from HCPs – down from 244 mentions last year-it achieved a broad reach, engaging more than 700,000 accounts.

The hashtag #WorldCOPDday was used 58 times by 32 HCPs, reaching approximately 140,000 accounts. Discussions highlighted personalised self-management programmes like Breath_Tec– a digital platform supporting physical and mental health for those with lung conditions- and the Asthma + Lung UK Patient Passport, a checklist to help patients evaluate their COPD care and understand next steps for improvement. 

 

Moreover, the launch of the first national joint BTS/NICE/SIGN asthma guidelines was a key highlight at the 2024 BTS Winter Meeting. These guidelines marked a significant step forward by focusing on comprehensive care strategies, environmental impacts, and combination therapies. 

Dr. Natalie Harper, who played a key role in developing the guidelines, shared her excitement, saying, “Today’s the day where we finally get to present the 1st National joint NICE/BTS/SIGN asthma guidelines that myself and the other fabulous committee members have been working on for the last 3 years. A little bit excited and a little bit nervous. Let’s see how they’re received.” 

A milestone was celebrated during BTS WINTER 2024 with the introduction of Benralizumab, the first new treatment for acute asthma and COPD attacks in 50 years. 13 HCPs shared how this monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-5 receptor-α has shown remarkable efficacy in clinical trials. As Digital Opinion Leader (DOL) Eric Topol noted, “Some very good news for people with asthma and COPD. The first new treatment for acute attacks in over 50 years- a monoclonal antibody vs interleukin-5 receptor-α-with efficacy in a randomized trial.” This post was shared by 12 HCPs.  

Eric Topol has been identified as a DOL by CREATION due to his HCP peer trust and social media reach. 

This quarter, asthma remained the most discussed respiratory disease, consistent with the previous quarter’s trends. Of the top five authors, 3 focused predominantly on COPD and asthma, which were the most-discussed respiratory diseases within this group.  For instance, Dr. Nick Hopkinson, a Professor of Respiratory Medicine and the 5th most active author this quarter, posted 68 times, with nearly half focusing on COPD making this his most discussed single topic. His advocacy revolved around health disparities, drawing attention to environmental factors, annual reviews for patients, amongst others. 

 

Throughout last quarter, HCPs raised alarms about the resurgence of respiratory viruses, including influenza, RSV, and COVID-19, which are creating a “triple threat” for the healthcare system. Adding to the challenge, norovirus is also on the rise, potentially turning the situation into a “quad-demic.”  45 HCPs discussed norovirus in 88 posts, some highlighting the lack of airborne infection control measures. 

Hospitals and healthcare staff are bracing for a difficult winter, as the prevalence of these illnesses overwhelms acute care settings, according to HCPs. Dr. Neil Stone, an expert in infectious diseases, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, remarking that flu is currently rampant in the UK and describing it as a dreadful illness, with respiratory viruses posing a significant challenge. Similarly, Dr. David Oliver provided insight from the frontlines, recounting his experience after a 12-hour shift in the acute medical unit and emergency department.

 

Despite the strain, healthcare teams are working tirelessly to combat these threats. Professor Stephen Powis, National Medical Director of NHS England, emphasized the importance of vaccination efforts, noting, “NHS teams are delivering more than 300 vaccinations a minute for COVID, flu, and RSV in a huge effort to avoid a ‘tripledemic’ this winter.”  

HCPs, such as Professor Azeem Majeed, also stressed that vigilance, preventive measures, and vaccinations are critical to reducing the burden on healthcare systems and protecting both patients and staff during the challenging months ahead. 

Each month, we track the HCP conversation relating to respiratory disease. You can read other editions in the Respiratory Tracker archive .

You can also keep updated with other pharmaceutical tracking updates, including how HCPs engage with Top 50 pharma and the product approvals that are catching their attention.  To receive updates straight to your inbox you can sign up for our monthly eJournal with our latest HCP insights. 

If you want to dig deeper into what we have seen this month then please get in touch. 

Methodology

CREATION Pinpoint® was used to analyse 4,751 mentions on X from 1,451 HCPs in the UK discussing respiratory disease and related terms, throughout October-December 2024.

 

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Meet the Author

Doménica Carpio

Domé brings a unique mix of skills, combining an academic background in Media Communications and Project Management, all of which she uses to help pharmaceutical companies digest data and turn it into actionable insights.

Domé loves football, Middle Earth and quality time with friends.

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