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6 JUNE 2016 Inhalation A definition of COST Actions European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Actions are science and technology networks that focus on a specific, common research subject. COST Actions are open to researchers and stakeholders and use a range of tools, including workshops, conferences, training schools, short- term scientific missions and dissemi- nation activities. They also assist in fostering the development of early career investigators (ECIs). This article provides an overview of COST Action MP1404—Simula- tion & Pharmaceutical Technologies for Advanced Patient-Tailored Inhaled Medicines (Siminhale), which started on May 4, 2015 with the participation of 90 members from 25 countries, as shown in Figure 1. The network will be active for four years. Challenges for pulmonary delivery Pulmonary drug delivery is emerging as an important route for adminis- trating therapeutic agents for both topical and systemic therapies. With an aging world population in combi- nation with the reduction of health budgets, one of the greatest challenges is to keep the costs of therapy low. To meet these challenges, medication needs to be affordable yet highly losis (TB), due to inappropriate ther- apies, are already a huge global con- cern. In this respect, the main challenge in relation to inhaled medicines is to overcome technological challenges while keeping manufacturing costs low, drug administration techniques simple and time needed for adminis- tration short. Siminhale's objectives The main objective of Siminhale is to create and maintain a pan-European effective and devices have to be easy to operate so that patients are able to comply with correct use and adhere to therapy. These are prerequisites for preventing periodic or permanent exacerbations of pulmonary diseases, which then can lead to greater fre- quency of hospitalization and thereby, to increased cost of therapy, and may also cause, for instance, development of bacterial resistance against antibiotics. Notably, multi- drug-resistant (MDR) and exten- sively drug-resistant (XDR) tubercu- Ben Forbes King's College London Andrea Danani Università della Svizzera Italiana (SUPSI) Gerrit Borchard University of Geneva Stavros Kassinos University of Cyprus CROSS - I NDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS Introducing European COST Action—Siminhale Figure 1 Countries participating in COST Action 1404—Siminhale