Pharma to launch 5 large trials on LABA safety for asthma

Under mandate by the FDA to answer lingering questions about long-acting beta agonists' safety for treatment of asthma, four major pharma firms will launch five large randomized trials comparing inhaled corticosteroid / long-acting beta agonist combination products vs. ICS alone. The trials (4 in adults, 1 in kids) will enroll >50,000 people starting this year, with results expected in 6 years, report Chowdhury et al. NEJM 2011;364:2473-2475.