Updated national asthma guidelines and website has launched
In September 2025, the Honourable Mark Butler, MP, Minister for Health and Ageing, announced the launch of the National Asthma Council’s updated Australian Asthma Handbook website for health professionals.
The Australian Asthma Handbook provides free, evidence-based guidance translated into practical advice for primary care health professionals on all aspects of asthma diagnosis and management.
The revised 2025 edition reflects a shift in how asthma is managed and treated in Australia, and includes changes for improved diagnosis and management of asthma in infants and children.
Key updates to the Australian Asthma Handbook’s guidelines for health professionals
New recommendations that encourage health professionals to stop prescribing or advising treatment with as-needed short-acting beta2 agonists (SABA) alone to manage asthma in adults and adolescents
New guidelines that recommend anti-inflammatory reliever (AIR) only therapy and maintenance-and-reliever therapy (MART) for adults and adolescents (aged over 12)
Asthma treatment needs to be continuously adjusted for the patient to ensure optimal asthma control to reduce asthma symptoms and prevent asthma exacerbations.
A key goal of asthma treatment is to avoid the need for multiple oral corticosteroid (OCS) courses.
Recommendations for patients with severe asthma that cannot be controlled with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) treatments.
Updated guidance on pathways for more streamlined referral of patients to monoclonal antibody therapies.
Changes for improved diagnosis and management of asthma in infants and children.
About the 2025 update to the Australian Asthma Handbook and website
The update of the Australian Asthma Handbook involved a major revision of clinical guidance and redesign of the website, led by a multidisciplinary network of primary care and specialist contributors on the National Asthma Council Guidelines Committee.
The process was guided by the research and review of national and international evidence, as well as an analysis of website user experiences with a diverse group of GPs, nurses and pharmacists.
The website is designed for ease of use with the main categories of diagnosis, management and acute asthma across 3 age groups:
adults and adolescents
primary school age children
preschool children.
Tables and figures throughout, along with recommendations and considerations assist health professionals to locate, review and apply the information.
More asthma resources for health professionals
See the September 2025 Australian Asthma Handbook media release for health professionals.
View the HealthPathways for Asthma in Adults or Asthma in Children.