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Three people a day die from asthma.
Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to changing this.

Our achievements

The effects of asthma can be devastating. Three people die every day in the UK from an asthma attack, and thousands more experience debilitating symptoms despite taking high doses of treatments.

The only chance of curing asthma is to fund world-class research to understand asthma, improve current treatments and discover new ways to control symptoms.

Since our creation, we have spent over £50 million on scientific research. This research has already changed lives and is set to have far-reaching impact.

Our research has brought about breakthroughs in many different areas, from unravelling the intricacies of our immune system and generating leads for new treatments, through to influencing clinical guidelines that inform the day-to-day practice of doctors and nurses across the UK.

Our research has also changed the way we think about the causes of asthma in childhood, categorically proven that viruses trigger symptoms, and revealed the diversity of severe asthma, stressing the need for new treatments.

Our investment in the MRC-Asthma UK Research Centre in London has led to many more millions of pounds being invested in asthma research by other organisations. In addition, by investing in fellowships and studentships, we have helped up-and-coming scientists become world leaders in asthma research.

Preventing asthma

Thanks to our work, we now know far more about when asthma starts, what causes it, and how our risk is influenced by our genes, home environment and exposure to infections.

This information is helping scientists identify opportunities to protect children against asthma and could lead to effective new treatments.

Relieving symptoms

Millions of people with asthma live in fear of catching a cold, and millions more know that contact with pollen, pets, dust and other allergic triggers can make their life a misery.

Asthma UK has made huge progress towards the creation of new treatments that can combat viral infections and control symptoms triggered by allergies.

Finding cures

Freedom from asthma will only be possible through the creation of new treatments that cure people of asthma's effects.

We are proud to say that Asthma UK researchers have discovered new genes and information about asthma that could lead to asthma cures.

Improving lives

Our research is improving the health and well-being of people with asthma. Importantly, the results of our work are quoted in numerous guidelines referred to by doctors and nurses across the UK.

Asthma UK researchers have improved asthma and allergy services, proved that breathing exercises work, increased the use of immunotherapy and provided reassurance that asthma medicines are safe for pregnant women.

Helping those worst affected

Thousands of people in the UK experience constant, debilitating asthma symptoms because their lungs don't respond to steroid-based treatments. Other people experience wildly unpredictable, life-threatening asthma attacks.

Our research, and the perseverance of Asthma UK-funded scientists, is already improving lives and bringing about opportunities for the creation of life-saving medicines.

Building research capacity

Asthma kills thousands of people and yet research into asthma is under-resourced and under-funded.

Asthma UK plays a vital role in fostering collaboration and training the next generation of asthma scientists and doctors.

In addition, our work has led to millions of pounds being invested in asthma research from a range of sources.

Asthma timeline

Discover how our understanding of asthma has changed through the years and find out how modern-day asthma treatments have developed from cows' glands and cold baths! (requires flash)

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