Birmingham locals to participate in first-of-its-kind study into impact of vaping on respiratory health
Published on 09/10/2025
Researchers from University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) and the University of Birmingham are leading a major new study to explore the potential benefits and harms of vaping on long-term respiratory health.
The newly funded EVALUATE study has received £1.55M from the Medical Research Council (MRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), and aims to address unanswered questions about the biological effects of vaping on the body.
Over 200 people from Birmingham will be invited to participate, including 200 healthy smokers from UHB’s staff smoking cessation clinic and community smoking cessation service.
Half of the individuals recruited will be seeking to stop smoking using nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches or gum, and the other half will be seeking to stop smoking using e-cigarettes. A further cohort of 40 never-smoker, never-vapers will also participate.
Unlike earlier studies that have looked at lung health at a single point in time, this study will assess the long-term effects of vaping on the respiratory system over a year.
Professor David Thickett, Consultant Respiratory Physician and the Tobacco Addiction Cure Team lead at UHB, said: “This study will provide critical data needed to understand the safety of vaping as a short-term smoking cessation strategy and the potential for harm in longer-term usage so people can make an informed personal choice about whether to quit with e-cigarettes and how long to use them after swapping to stop.”
Dr Aaron Scott, Associate Professor in Respiratory Science at the University of Birmingham and Chief investigator of the EVALUATE study, said: “We will study how vaping affects important airway immune cells and the epithelial cells which line the insides of the lung. Since these cell types play a critical role in the development of smoking-related lung diseases, these changes will provide clear insight into vaping on lung health.”
The study will be delivered through the NIHR/Wellcome Trust Birmingham Clinical Research Facility (CRF) based at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, part of UHB.
Dr Dhruv Parekh, Associate Professor in Respiratory Medicine at UHB and Director of the NIHR/Wellcome Trust Birmingham CRF, said: “We will study immune cells in two ways: from the blood, which shows indirect effects, and directly from the airways using a bronchoscopy - a procedure where a thin, flexible tube is passed into the lungs to collect small samples. This will allow us to get a complete picture of how the airways are affected by vaping. The team within the NIHR Clinical Research Facility will be integral to the delivery of this work, providing the expertise, equipment, and support needed to carry out the study safely.”
Matt Metcalfe, Hospital Executive Director for Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, added: "As a hospital dedicated to advancing patient care, we are proud to host this important study and work alongside the University of Birmingham. Research like this helps ensure our patients and the wider Birmingham community have reliable information to make informed choices about vaping and their health.
