€18 test ‘to improve asthma care in children’

Inexpensive gene-testing could prevent children with asthma getting ineffective drugs.

Scientists in Britain have found a simple saliva test costing £15 (€18.40) helps work out the best treatment for children with asthma.

A popular drug called salmeterol, used for long-term control of asthma, works poorly in children with a particular genetic variant carried by one-in-seven sufferers. Scientists say new advice should be given to GPs and parents on what to do if a child fails to respond well to the drug.