Millions of people with mild to moderate asthma are routinely prescribed daily inhaled steroid medications to control the disease, but a new study suggests that may not be necessary. The study, published Sept. 12 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found no difference in patient outcomes whether patients took the powerful drugs each day or only when symptoms appeared. "The discovery that these two courses of treatment do not differ significantly could eventually change the way doctors and patients manage asthma, providing an option that is easier to follow and possibly less expensive," lead author Dr. William Calhoun, professor and vice chair for research in internal medicine at UTMB, said.

The study is receiving widespread international coverage, appearing in such outlets as WebMD, MedPage Today, The Times of India, NBC News, the Houston Chronicle and NPR in Boston, among others.