Air quality is the most important exogenous factor affecting the pathogenesis of environmentally induced lung diseases. Air quality does not only influence the homeostasis of the respiratory tract but also has effects on the whole human organism. Despite the high prevalence of environmentally induced lung diseases which also include allergic bronchial asthma and tobacco-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), there are still numerous open questions about pathogenesis, pathophysiology and therapy of these diseases. The current article analyses recent data and demonstrates that, measured in terms of the global socio-economic burden of these diseases, there is still a dangerous lack of research activity and major deficits in public and private funding of research.
