Boehringer Ingelheim becomes Heart of Australia’s  National Lung Health Partner to close gaps in respiratory care

Sydney, Australia, Tue, 21/04/2026 - 09:30

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced a new three-year partnership with Heart of Australia, becoming the mobile healthcare organisation’s National Lung Health Partner.

The partnership builds on Boehringer’s longstanding support of Heart of Australia’s NextGen Medics program and marks a significant evolution of the collaboration - shifting from sustainable workforce development to a broader, national focus on lung health equity and respiratory disease awareness in regional, rural and remote communities.

The new partnership scope was conceived following Heart of Australia’s appointment by the Australian Government to deliver the National Lung Cancer Screening Program (NLCSP) in regional and remote Australia. Through its growing fleet of mobile Heart Trucks - each one equipped with low dose CT and respiratory diagnostic capabilities - Heart of Australia aims to deliver mobile lung cancer screening services to around 50 rural and remote communities each year across every state and the Northern Territory by 2027.

While the NLCSP is strengthening early detection of lung cancer – a focus area of research and development at Boehringer Ingelheim- it is also creating valuable opportunities to identify other less common, yet serious respiratory diseases earlier.

These conditions include interstitial lung diseases which can result in progressive pulmonary fibrosis, a condition that is characterised by irreversible scarring of the lungs, making breathing increasingly difficult. Lack of symptom awareness and long diagnostic delays mean many people with pulmonary fibrosis are already living with advanced disease by the time they reach specialist care.

“A pulmonary fibrosis diagnosis often comes many years after the onset of symptoms. In this time, the disease can already have had devastating impacts on quality of life and prognosis,” said Ewan Wylie, Respiratory Scientist and Head of Operations and Business Development at Heart of Australia.

“We don’t always know what causes fibrosis - or lung tissue scarring - but we do know exposure to airborne hazards, such as dust and pollution, and those inherently found in agriculture, forestry, mining, construction and manufacturing industries, are recognised risks. People living outside of the major cities often live and work in higher risk environments, yet they are least able to access timely specialist assessment and multidisciplinary care,” he said.

By bringing advanced imaging and respiratory diagnostics closer to communities with historically limited access to specialist services, Heart of Australia is helping to strengthen earlier detection and referral pathways for a broader range of serious lung diseases. However, gaps remain, particularly in connecting patients with appropriate follow-up care, which this new partnership aims to help address.

As National Lung Health Partner, Boehringer Ingelheim will support Heart of Australia’s mobile specialist healthcare delivery model and collaborate on initiatives focused on improving disease awareness, assessment and care pathways.

“For decades, Boehringer Ingelheim has been committed to improving outcomes for people living with serious respiratory diseases such as interstitial lung diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD),” said Edward Hollywood, General Manager and Head of Human Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim Australia and New Zealand.

“This new partnership with Heart of Australia is a natural extension of that legacy. We’re aligning our longstanding focus on lung health with a practical, community-based approach that helps bring assessment and referral pathways closer to home for patients who have faced delays and distance for far too long.”

Dr Rolf Gomes, Founder and Cardiologist at Heart of Australia, said collaborative partnerships were essential to improving equity of care across Australia and he is excited about the potential of Boehringer’s expanded support for Heart of Australia and the rural and remote communities it serves.

“Boehringer Ingelheim understands that improving lung health outcomes requires more than innovation alone. It requires equitable access, earlier detection and collaboration,” Dr Gomes said.

“With Boehringer’s support, Heart of Australia looks forward to expanding the impact of our mobile clinics beyond earlier detection to helping lung health patients navigate the next steps in their care journey with the speed and clarity which underpins better outcomes.”

Images courtesy of Heart of Australia.