Despite major advances in the understanding of the etiology and pathophysiology of asthma and the development of new therapeutic modalities, the prevalence, severity, and mortality from asthma in all age groups have increased over the past decade. Mortality rates are disproportionately high in urban and rural minority populations. Hospitalizations for asthma have doubled in adults and increased five-fold for children over the past 20 years. Asthma continues to place a heavy burden on patients and their families, the health care system, and society as a whole. Therefore, new approaches are needed to help alleviate this growing problem.