University of Arizona researchers are studying how to prevent asthma in young kids

Researchers from the University of Arizona are studying how to prevent asthma in young children by looking at how a certain medication can help develop the immune system.

Asthma occurs when lungs overreact to things like viruses, pollen or exercise. Researchers are looking at Broncho-Vaxom, a medication commonly prescribed in Europe and Latin America.

“We obtained authorization from the FDA to use this product in children aged 6 to 18 months by mouth, giving it to them for two years to see if after they stop this product, they would have less asthma than other children," he said.

Dr. Fernando Martinez is the director of UA’s Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center.

He says Broncho-Vaxom is being administered to infants as a part of a placebo-controlled study.

“We needed to start with babies because, as I said before we wanted to start before any symptoms develop and in most cases of asthma, symptoms develop very early," he said.

The study will conclude at the end of the year, and the results will be made public at the 2026 American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology Conference.

Asthma affects roughly 4.5 million children in the United States.

"This is very traumatic for the families. So what we would like is for people not to have asthma, not to have to take medicines every day, not to develop the disease so they can have a perfectly healthy life," Martinez said.