The future of asthma.

Reports in the media describing the discovery of "the asthma gene" or "a new vaccine for asthma" may be inaccurate and often raise patients' hopes unjustifiably. This article is a personal view of key areas in current asthma research, and it examines how they may impinge on the care of asthmatic patients in the next decade. I have tried to explain the thinking behind some of the approaches under study. I discuss the potential contributions of genetic studies, immunological approaches, and new therapeutic approaches.