Laughter therapy trial offers new hope for COPD patients
A clinical trial suggests laughter therapy can help people with COPD breathe more easily and clear phlegm.
How it was covered
- ITV was the only channel found covering it.
- Channel 5, BBC News, BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, GB News and Sky News: not found in tracked broadcasts.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
A clinical trial has found that laughter therapy can improve outcomes for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), offering new hope to millions in the UK living with the condition.
Researchers from King's College London are prescribing laughter yoga to patients as part of the trial. The idea is that the physical act of laughing, which involves the chest and body moving, could have a beneficial effect on the airways and help clear phlegm.
"When you're laughing you feel your body moving and you feel your chest moving. So this could potentially have some effects to the tubes that get there to our lungs and it could help the clearance of phlegm," the report noted.
The trial was highlighted in a report from a comedy club in London's West End, where the headliner, Diesel, encouraged everyone to add laughter to their daily routine. "Imagine someone walking down the street, hahaha but you're going to be like, Saturday night, right? But as long as, who cares what people think? If that's what it takes to be healthy, walk down the street and just start laughing," he said.
The old adage that laughter is the best medicine may well be true, even for conditions that wouldn't usually have a funny side. The trial's findings suggest that a simple, low-cost intervention could complement existing treatments for COPD, a common lung condition that causes breathing difficulties.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| Researchers from King's College London are prescribing laughter yoga to COPD patients, with a trial suggesting it helps them breathe more easily and clear phlegm. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 focused on the human interest and light-hearted side of the story, framing laughter therapy as a natural and enjoyable treatment. It included vox pops from comedy club attendees and a comedian's endorsement, while still reporting the scientific basis from King's College London.
- “It's a natural medication, isn't it? It feels good and natural, like a natural release of something.”
- “The old adage that laughter is the best medicine may just well be true even for conditions that wouldn't usually have a funny side.”
- “If that's what it takes to be healthy, walk down the street and just start laughing.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.