Past Column Editor: Lawrence Grouse

What is the core value of clinical service and medical research? It follows the most important rule that “patients come first.” And what on earth drives our aim and scope at Journal of Thoracic Disease (JTD)? It is the passion for patient benefits. In August 2012, JTD was endorsed by and has been collaborating with the International COPD Coalition (ICC) ever since. JTD’s ICC column is jointly elaborated by JTD and ICC as a regular column with the global efforts of COPD patient organizations, lung physicians and experts dealing with the global COPD epidemic. ICC column aims at exploring the protection of patients’ rights in clinical diagnosis and treatment through introducing the endeavor and achievement made internationally for COPD patient benefits. It concerns social issues with wide topics including the patients’ rights protection, reducing patients’ health care expenses, medical bribery, and the relationship between pharmaceutical industry development and patients’ rights, to name a few.