News|Articles|May 15, 2026

ATS 2026 to Spotlight Environment, Late-Breaking Thoracic Care Research

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Key Takeaways

Sex- and gender-informed thoracic care will emphasize developmental divergence in lung/cardiovascular health, tailored pulmonary hypertension management, and chromosomal contributions to cardiopulmonary disease.
Real-world urban studies will evaluate how air exposures in London, Luton, Stockholm, and New York City influence respiratory outcomes, including potential health effects of restricted or priced vehicle zones.
Pulmonary rehabilitation will be examined as a therapeutic strategy across asthma, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and interstitial lung disease, supplemented by patient-reported experience.
Obstructive sleep apnea management will revisit CPAP risk–benefit heterogeneity, prioritizing precision approaches to identify patients harmed by CPAP and to match subgroups to alternative therapies.
Health equity content will integrate social determinants, neighborhood context, and climate change with disparities, alongside updated approaches to tobacco and dual cannabis–nicotine use in adolescents and young adults.

The conference, set to take place in Orlando, Florida, features sessions focusing on new research and environmental impacts in the thoracic space.

Top experts in thoracic and respiratory care will gather in Orlando, Florida, next week for the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2026 International Conference to discuss pressing topics in the space, including how the environment plays into care, differences in treatment based on gender, and rethinking treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

The ATS 2026 International Conference kicks off in earnest on the morning of Sunday, May 17, starting early with keynote speakers and a plethora of panels to choose from that discuss different topics surrounding respiratory care.¹ The effects of how sex and gender play a part in thoracic care will take center stage in a panel held early that morning. The session will focus on how differences emerge between sexes from childhood to adolescence in lung and cardiovascular health, individualized treatments for pulmonary hypertension, and how different chromosomes affect cardiopulmonary disease.

How the environment affects different lung diseases will also be a topic of interest in the afternoon, as results from 3 real-world studies will assess how air in the urban cities of London, Luton, Stockholm, and New York City can affect respiratory health. This includes assessing whether areas with limited or priced vehicles could be better for overall health.

The efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation in patients without chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders (COPD) opens up the second day of the conference. The session will focus on how pulmonary rehabilitation could work in asthma, bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and interstitial lung disease, along with a testimony from a patient speaking on their experiences with pulmonary rehabilitation.

A session running during midday will feature presentations of articles from the New England Journal of Medicine, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, and Journal of the American Medical Association. The content will only be available during the conference, making this an exclusive session for those who will be attending.

How continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines can be used in patients with OSA is also a topic of conversation during the Monday schedule. The session focuses on how CPAP may cause harm in certain subgroups of patients living with OSA. Precision medicine in CPAP treatment will be a focus, and learning how to identify those who would benefit most from different therapies is also a topic of conversation to be covered during the session.

Tuesday, May 19, will feature a session on how social determinants of health can be addressed in lung health, including how climate change affects disparities, how neighborhoods can affect treatment, and how sex and gender can affect lung health. The next day will include sessions on how to address nicotine addiction in patients of all ages. They will include an overview of the ATS Clinical Practice Guideline for tobacco treatment in young adults and adolescents, as well as how to approach care for those who use both cannabis and nicotine.

New abstracts will also be presented throughout the course of the conference, as hundreds are set to be presented over the course of the week. These abstracts will focus on a variety of areas, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, and COPD, to give attendees information on the latest developments and research in these areas.

Overall, the ATS 2026 International Conference promises several days of education for those who attend the conference, making it one to watch as it quickly approaches.²

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