Approximately 1 in 8 Kiwis take medication for asthma. New Zealand also has a higher prevalence of asthma compared to other developed countries, with some research suggesting that it is on the increase.

The standard treatment for asthma recommended by the Asthma + Respiratory Foundation NZ was changed in 2020 based on NZ-led research that showed a combination of a preventer and a reliever medication was much more effective in reducing asthma symptoms than using a reliever alone. 

The current recommendation is to use a 2-in-1 asthma inhaler that contains both a preventer and reliever asthma medication.

For this particular research study, we are researching an experimental combination rescue inhaler. The medications fluticasone propionate (Flixotide) and Salbutamol (Ventolin) are already approved for use in New Zealand as individual inhaler medications. 

This research study is important because it will test how effective fluticasone propionate and salbutamol are in preventing asthma attacks when combined into one experimental inhaler. The research study will also look at whether the use of the experimental research study inhaler reduces the need for additional steroid treatment for asthma sufferers.