Severe asthma carries a substantial burden of disease, including unpredictable symptoms and potentially life-threatening flare-ups.

In 2018, a group of experts joined together to develop the Severe Asthma Patient Charter, which set out six principles to define what patients should expect for the management of their severe asthma and what should constitute a basic standard of care.

Since 2018, we have gained a better understanding of asthma and effective asthma management, new therapies have become available, and the COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on respiratory conditions and the fundamental importance of health care system resilience.

As such, we have developed an updated Charter to Improve Patient Care in Severe Asthma with a focus on six principles.

Patients deserve (1) a timely, comprehensive assessment of their asthma and its severity; (2) a timely, straightforward referral to an appropriate specialist for their asthma when it is not well controlled; (3) to understand what makes their asthma worse; (4) access to treatment and care that reduces the impact of asthma on their daily life; (5) not to be reliant on systemic corticosteroids; and (6) to be involved in decisions about their treatment and care.