To date, asthma is the sixth ranking chronic disease in the US. Uncontrolled asthma at any stage of life, but particularly childhood, can lead to irreversible lung damage. So it is extremely important to deal with childhood asthma in order to prevent lung damage, but also to instill in asthmatics a pattern of understanding and care that will continue into adulthood. Ms Linda Butt of Mid Atlantic Medical Services, Inc. (MAMSI), Rockville, Maryland, US, presented the latest results of the managed-care (MC) company's comprehensive asthma management programme to delegates at the 5th Annual Disease Management Congress, held in Boston, Massachusetts, US, in September.