Interventional lifestyle and self-management trials: A double-edged sword. Is it time to mandate formal data and safety monitoring?

Worldwide, the number of individuals living with chronic respiratory disease is increasing, because of both new diagnoses but also because people are living longer with their condition.1 Irrespective of the cause of their underlying respiratory condition, those with advanced disease have common physical limitations, psychological comorbidities and complex care needs. Support and care at home is commonly provided by family members, often at significant personal cost,2 and the role these informal caregivers play in patient care is often overlooked. Traditional interventions focus on disease sufferers, however targeting those providing care is a potentially complementary treatment, particularly when trying to improve factors such as adherence to medication, smoking cessation and physical activity.