The long term management of asthma illustrates the critical need for international guidance to recognise the inequity in resources available to some low and middle income countries (LMICs). The implications of resource limitation on a health systems ability to implement and follow guidance should be acknowledged.

A panel of 52 experts in the field of asthma in LMICs participated in a two-stage Delphi process to establish and reach a consensus on the clinical standards for asthma management specifically focusing on low and middle income countries.  This included clinical standards for settings where WHO essential medicines were not available.