MARTIN Docherty-Hughes, MP for West Dunbartonshire, has pledged his support for a groundbreaking asthma research roadmap which sets out priorities to revolutionise diagnosis, treatment and care for the millions of people living with the condition.

There are 76,181 people with asthma in Mr Docherty-Hughes’ local health area, with 1 in 11 people living with the condition across the UK, yet asthma is still a relative mystery.

Until now medical research into asthma diagnoses, treatment and care has been piecemeal and lacked strategic direction, and so Asthma UK has led a three-year collaboration of international clinical, academic, industry and patient experts to identify the most important unanswered questions in asthma and to ensure research investment is targeted in the most effective way.

Asthma UK launched the new asthma research roadmap at a parliamentary reception held at the European Respiratory Society’s International Congress on September 5.

This outlines 15 key areas for future asthma research, to focus investment on the most promising treatments, medical-technology devices, self-management tools and healthcare systems to address the currently unmet needs of people with asthma.

Welcoming the roadmap as a ‘once in a generation opportunity’ to improve the lives of people with asthma Martin Docherty-Hughes MP said: "I wholeheartedly welcome this new asthma research roadmap as I believe it holds the potential to radically improve care and ultimately cure asthma for people in West Dumbartonshire, and others, living with asthma.

"Drawing on the knowledge of many experts including globally renowned UK scientists, it marks a real step change in the drive to stop asthma attacks."

Kay Boycott, Chief Executive of Asthma UK, said: "We are delighted that Martin Docherty-Hughes MP recognises the huge potential the new roadmap holds to target investment into research that could truly revolutionise diagnosis, treatment and care for people with asthma.

"Every 10 seconds someone has a potentially fatal asthma attack and we still don’t know enough about the different ‘types’ of asthma which is essential if we are to find a cure.

"For too long asthma research has lacked the focus and investment it so desperately needs, and we see the asthma research roadmap as the catalyst for attracting the investment needed to make medical breakthroughs that will transform the lives of people with asthma."

The roadmap’s research priorities can be distilled into two key areas:

• Understanding the ‘types of asthma’: new mechanisms, biomarkers, diagnostics.

• Technology-enabled asthma management.

The asthma research roadmap can be read in full here:

www.asthma.org.uk/research/future/earip/asthma-research-roadmap