The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) was established in 1993 in collaboration with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the World Health Organization, under the leadership of Drs Suzanne Hurd and Claude Lenfant, with the goals of disseminating information about asthma management, and providing a mechanism to translate scientific evidence into improved asthma care. The landmark report “Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention”, first published in 1995 [5] and annually updated on the basis of a routine review of evidence, has formed the basis for clinical practice guidelines in many countries.