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The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended the use of apps to help patients manage their asthma.
In draft guidance, published on 7 January 2026, NICE said that the recommendations allow the use of the technologies during a three-year evidence generation period, after which it will review the additional data collected and decide whether to recommend them for routine use across the NHS.
NICE’s recommendations follow a report from charity Asthma and Lung UK, published in December 2025, which highlighted the importance of action plans and that a “widespread lack of access” to testing often resulted in delayed diagnoses and poorer outcomes in some settings.
The eight digital platforms recommended by NICE will support patients with a digital personalised asthma action plan, including guidance on what to do when symptoms change, tools to track symptoms and medication, reminders to take inhalers and educational content including videos on inhaler technique, the draft guidance said.
It added that different technologies and versions are available for adults, children, young people, parents and carers.
According to the draft guidance, the platforms are also designed to be used alongside regular healthcare appointments, while some can share information with healthcare professionals to make appointments more efficient.
Anastasia Chalkidou, HealthTech programme director at NICE, commented: “We know that people from deprived areas are three times more likely to have asthma and experience worse outcomes.
“Reducing health inequalities is central to our work, and these technologies could help address that by offering personalised support in a format that works for more people.”
Darush Attar-Zadeh, respiratory pharmacist, co-chair of the London-based Children and Young People Pharmacy Asthma Group and co-chair of the Taskforce for Lung Health Medicines Optimisation Working Group, said consideration of health literacy, digital skills and access to smartphones would be needed to avoid widening health inequalities.
“AI-enabled digital tools have the potential to enhance asthma care by supporting self-management, improving medicines use and enabling earlier intervention. Tools under NICE review show promise in improving asthma control and reducing hospital visits,” he added.
NICE has also published separate draft guidance, which allows the use of a AI-powered tool — ArtiQ.Spiro — to guide clinicians through spirometry tests.
The tool helps to interpret the results and guide diagnosis decisions for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the draft guidance said.
Commenting on the separate draft guidance, Attar-Zadeh said: “AI-supported spirometry interpretation could be especially valuable in primary care where this skill is used less frequently.
“These technologies should support, not replace, clinical judgement.”
In the draft guidance, NICE said that ArtiQ.Spiro is recommended for use in GP surgeries and community diagnostic centres during an evidence generation period, while four other technologies — EasyOne Connect, GoSpiro, LungHealth and MIR Spiro — need more research before they can be recommended for NHS use.
Both sets of draft guidance are open for consultation until 21 January 2026, with final publication expected in April 2026.
