What studies in this area look at
Many breathing studies compare inhalers, or test an injected treatment for people whose asthma stays hard to control. Others look at how to cut flare-ups during cold and allergy seasons.
COPD research often asks how to keep people out of hospital and active for longer, so a study may include a walking test or a breathing programme alongside a medicine.
Who often takes part
Each study sets its own rules, so this is a picture of the kinds of people these studies tend to ask for, not a checklist.
- Adults and teenagers with asthma, mild to severe
- People with COPD, including chronic bronchitis or emphysema
- People who have needed steroid tablets for a flare-up
- People with seasonal or year-round allergies
What taking part can involve
Visits vary from study to study. These are among the things the team may ask of you:
- Breathing tests, where you blow hard into a tube
- A diary of symptoms and reliever use, often on a phone
- Checks on how you use your inhaler
- A short walking test in some COPD studies
Questions worth asking
Alongside the general questions for any study, these come up often in this area:
- Can I keep my reliever inhaler with me the whole time?
- What happens if I have a flare-up during the study?
- Does the study run through winter, when my symptoms are worse?