Network to aid asthma sufferers launched

The China Asthma Research Network has been established to standardize and improve asthma prevention and treatment in the nation.

Launched by China Medical Association and Chinese Medical Doctor Association, the network comprises 100 top specialists across the country and will also serve as a platform for cooperation among institutions in related medical research and epidemiology investigation, according to Lin Jiangtao, head of the respiratory department, China-Japan Friendship Hospital and director of the respiration branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association.

China has about 30 million asthma sufferers and due to factors such as air pollution, "the incidence rate of the respiratory disease has been increasing," said Lin, who was elected to head the new network.

According to Lin, China still lacks medical research in asthma control and related epidemiology studies despite a rising number of asthma patients.

"The network will help design and organize large scale asthma studies to collect data to guide future asthma intervention efforts in the country," he said.