ISAAC, The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, is a unique worldwide epidemiological research programme established in 1991 to investigate asthma, rhinitis and eczema in children due to considerable concern that these conditions were increasing in western and developing countries.

ISAAC has become the largest worldwide collaborative research project ever undertaken, involving more than 100 countries and 2 million children and its aim is to develop environmental measures and disease monitoring in order to form the basis for future interventions to reduce the burden of allergic and non-allergic diseases, especially in children in developing countries.

The ISAAC findings to date have shown that these diseases are increasing in developing countries and that they have little to do with allergy, especially in the developing world. Further population studies are urgently needed to discover more about the underlying mechanisms of non-allergic causes of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema and the burden of these conditions.

ISAAC News

Phase One Individual data released

In accordance with a growing trend to have full research data sets publicly available, the ISAAC Steering Committee has made the ISAAC Phase One individual level data available on the ISAAC website read more

Phase Three summary data released

The ISAAC phase three summary data is now available on the ISAAC website read more

ISAAC 20 year Anniversary Symposium

The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Steering Committee is pleased to host this international symposium on asthma, eczema, rhinitis and the environment...read more

Latest Phase Three Methodology paper published

Ellwood P, Asher MI, Stewart AW and the ISAAC Phase III Study Group. The impact of the method of consent on response rates in the ISAAC time trends study. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2010 Aug;14(8):1059-65.View abstract

Latest Phase Two paper published

International Variations in Bronchial Responsiveness in Children: Findings From ISAAC Phase Two. G Büchele et. al. Pediatr Pulmonol 2010; 45(8): 796–806. View abstract

American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference

Professor Innes Asher was invited to the ATS International conference as a key note speaker and gave a presentation on ‘Asthma Disparities: a Global View’. Poster sessions were also given by Philippa Ellwood and Colin Robertson and an ISAAC Collaborators reception was held...read more

Phase One Ecological Overview Published

The Phase One Ecological Overview paper, has been published in the open access journal Respiratory Research...view

2010 declared 'Year of the Lung'

The Forum of International Respiratory Societies has declared that 2010 will be the Year of the Lung. ISAAC supports this initiative... read more

For more information please view:
Official FIRS press release | Year of the Lung website