Conference Preview: 2026 GOLD International COPD Conference

HCPLive’s team is providing on-site coverage of the 2026 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) International COPD Conference, held November 5 to 6 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, featuring a presentation of the 2027 GOLD Report and interviews with leaders in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care.¹,²

Now in its 11th year, the meeting is co-hosted by the Temple Lung Center and co-sponsored by GOLD, with Gerard Criner, MD, director of the Temple Lung Center, opening and closing each day.²,³ It offers up to 8.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ through Integrity CE, LLC, with sessions available in person and virtually.¹

Over the course of this 2-day meeting, pulmonologists, primary care clinicians, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, and respiratory therapists will convene to review the latest GOLD strategy, emerging therapeutic targets, and approaches to earlier diagnosis and exacerbation prevention.

What to Expect at GOLD 2026 in Philadelphia:

This year’s program opens with COPD Essentials, a pre-conference course on translating the GOLD strategy into practice, followed by 7 main sessions, CME symposia, and industry product theaters.² Topics span mucus plugging, exacerbation definitions, multimorbidity, proactive diagnosis, neutrophilic inflammation, type 2 inflammation, and alarmin-targeted therapy.²

HCPLive will be on-site throughout the conference, providing exclusive interviews with COPD leaders, coverage of notable sessions, and reporting on the latest clinical insights shared during the meeting.

Key HCPLive Interviews at GOLD:

• Alvar Agusti, MD
• Jadwiga A. Wedzicha, MD
• Gerard Criner, MD
• Francesca Polverino, MD, PhD
• Emily Wan, MD, MPH
• Carlos A. Camargo, MD, DrPH

Pre-Conference Sessions to Watch:

Initial therapy: Shawn Aaron, MD, reviews initial therapy and early management strategies under the GOLD ABE framework (Thursday, November 5)

Inhaler selection: David MG Halpin, MA, DPhil, MBBS, FRCP, FERS, discusses how to choose the best inhaler for each patient, following a device review from Ed Portillo, PharmD (Thursday, November 5)

Supportive therapies: Criner covers advanced supportive therapies and respiratory support in COPD (Thursday, November 5)

Beyond maximized inhaler therapy: Dave Singh, MD, addresses disease stability and how clinicians can recognize when additional therapy is needed (Thursday, November 5)

Sessions to Watch:

Among the many sessions on this year’s agenda, the following offer practical updates for clinicians attending the conference.

Role of Mucus in Disease Progression in COPD

Thursday, November 5 • 2:05–3:20 PM ET • Terrace Ballroom I

Overview: Moderated by Criner and María Montes de Oca, MD, PhD, this session examines the burden of mucus plugging in moderate to severe COPD, the role of type 2 cytokines in mucus plug formation, and precision approaches to targeting mucus. Speakers include Emily Wan, MD, MPH; Monica Kraft, MD; and Mario Castro, MD, MPH.

Characterizing Exacerbations in COPD

Thursday, November 5 • 3:45–5:05 PM ET • Terrace Ballroom I

Overview: Jadwiga A. Wedzicha, MD, moderates a session on why updated exacerbation definitions are needed, whether the Rome proposal works in practice, and which tests to order in the emergency department or hospital. Faculty include Leonardo M. Fabbri, MD, FERS; Bartolome R. Celli, MD; and Carlos A. Camargo, MD, DrPH.

Multimorbidity in Patients With COPD: What Can We Do About It?

Thursday, November 5 • 6:25–7:40 PM ET • Terrace Ballroom I

Overview: Fabbri and Celli lead a look at multimorbidity in COPD, including the 5 M’s framework and the cardiovascular and respiratory clusters. Faculty include Nathaniel Hawkins, MBChB, MD, MPH, and Frits Franssen, MD, PhD.

Moving to a Proactive Approach to the Diagnosis, Assessment and Management of COPD

Friday, November 6 • 8:10–9:45 AM ET • Terrace Ballroom I

Overview: Moderated by Claus Vogelmeier, MD, and Alvar Agusti, MD, this session addresses the underdiagnosis gap in COPD, case-finding in the community, the case for preventing every exacerbation, and how to define disease stability. Speakers include Agusti, Aaron, Halpin, and Singh.

Targeting Neutrophilic Inflammation in COPD

Friday, November 6 • 11:05 AM–12:20 PM ET • Terrace Ballroom I

Overview: Stephen Rennard, MD; Charlie Strange, MD; and James D. Chalmers, MBChB, PhD, will review the role of neutrophilic inflammation in COPD, elastase inhibition, and dipeptidyl peptidase 1 (DPP1) inhibition in bronchiectasis, including in patients with COPD. Robert A. Sandhaus, MD, PhD, and Montes de Oca moderate.

2027 GOLD Report and Review/COPD Call to Action

Friday, November 6 • 1:35–2:25 PM ET • Terrace Ballroom I

Overview: Vogelmeier and Agusti will present the 2027 GOLD Report, followed by audience questions. Obianuju Ozoh, MBBS, MSc, and Jinping Zheng, MD, moderate.

Targeting Pathways in COPD: A Glimpse Into the Future?

Friday, November 6 • 3:45–5:00 PM ET • Terrace Ballroom I

Overview: Moderated by Singh, this session explores airway immunology in the biologic era, lessons from type 2 inflammation in asthma, and alarmin-targeted approaches to epithelial health. Faculty include Lena Uller, PhD, MSc; Guy Brusselle, MD, PhD, FERS; and Wedzicha.

The HCPLive team will provide ongoing coverage from Philadelphia, including session highlights, expert interviews, and key clinical takeaways from the 2026 GOLD International COPD Conference.

Editor’s note: This summary was created with the help of AI tools.

References

1. Integrity Continuing Education. 2026 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) International Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Conference. eMedEvents. Accessed November 4, 2026. https://www.emedevents.com/medical-hybrid-events-2026/2026-global-initiative-for-chronic-obstructive-lung-disease-gold-international-chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-copd-conference.

2. 2026 GOLD International COPD Conference agenda. Accessed November 4, 2026.

3. Temple Health. Temple co-hosts 2024 GOLD International COPD Conference. Accessed November 4, 2026. https://www.templehealth.org/about/news/temple-co-hosts-2024-gold-international-copd-conference.