The UK health watchdog National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended a suite of digital platforms to help people with asthma better manage their condition, signalling growing confidence in app-based tools as part of routine care, while stopping short of full endorsement pending further evidence.
In draft guidance published yesterday, NICE said eight digital asthma management platforms can be used across the NHS during a three-year evidence generation period, giving patients and clinicians early access while additional data are collected on clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness.
The technologies allow people with asthma to use smartphone apps or online tools that include a personalised digital asthma action plan, symptom and medication tracking, inhaler reminders, and educational content such as videos on correct inhaler technique. NICE emphasised that the tools are designed to support, not replace, regular healthcare appointments.
Asthma affects around 5.4 million people in the UK, including one in 12 adults and one in 11 children. When poorly controlled, the condition can lead to emergency hospital admissions and avoidable deaths. NICE said paper-based asthma action plans are still widely used, are often lost, forgotten, or not followed, limiting their effectiveness.
The recommended platforms aim to address that gap by keeping action plans easily accessible and interactive. Some systems can also share patient data with GPs or nurses, potentially making consultations more efficient and focused. Several of the tools are tailored to specific populations, with versions designed for adults, children, and parents or carers.
NICE’s independent evaluation committee concluded that early evidence shows the technologies “demonstrate promise” in improving asthma control. Studies reviewed by the committee suggest the platforms can improve asthma control scores, reduce hospital visits, and help patients take medication more consistently. Users also reported increased confidence in managing their condition.
“By recommending earlier access to these innovations while further evidence is gathered, we’re driving transformational care into the hands of patients and healthcare professionals faster while ensuring value for the NHS,” said Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, NICE’s healthtech programme director.
Equity considerations also played a role in the decision. NICE noted that people living in more deprived areas are three times more likely to have asthma and worse outcomes, and that digital tools could help reduce disparities by offering flexible, personalised support that fits into daily life.
The eight platforms recommended for use during the evidence period are Asthmahub, Asthmahub for parents, AsthmaTuner, Digital Health Passport, Luscii, myAsthma, RDMP (Respiratory Disease Management Platform) and Smart Asthma.
Alongside the asthma management guidance, NICE also released separate draft recommendations on digital technologies for spirometry, the lung function test used to diagnose asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
In the guidance, NICE said one system, ArtiQ.Spiro can be used in GP practices and community diagnostic centres during an evidence generation period. The software uses algorithms to assess test quality, interpret results, and support diagnostic decisions, potentially allowing less experienced staff to carry out spirometry accurately.
The move comes against a backdrop of significant diagnostic backlogs. NICE estimates that 200 to 250 patients per 500,000 people are currently waiting for lung function testing. By enabling spirometry to be performed closer to home and by a broader range of healthcare professionals, digital tools could help reduce hospital pressure and waiting times.
Four other spirometry technologies, EasyOne Connect, GoSpiro, LungHealth, and MIR Spiro, were not recommended at this stage, with NICE citing the need for more robust evidence.
Early diagnosis of asthma and COPD is critical, NICE said, as it allows patients to start appropriate treatment sooner and may prevent disease progression and avoidable complications.
Both sets of draft guidance are now open for public consultation until 21 January 2026. NICE will review feedback from clinicians, patients, and technology developers before deciding whether the tools should move from conditional to routine NHS use.
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The recommendations reflect NICE’s broader strategy for digital health: measured adoption, early access where evidence is encouraging, and firm data requirements before system-wide rollout. For asthma care in particular, the guidance signals a shift toward tools that empower patients to manage chronic disease more actively without losing clinical oversight.
The digital platforms could mark a meaningful change in how asthma is managed across the NHS, blending traditional care with technology-enabled self-management in a system under growing strain.