It is a privilege for me to acknowledge the work of the many people who participated in this update project, as well as to acknowledge the superlative work of all who have contributed to the success of the GINA program. The GINA program has been conducted through unrestricted educational grants from Altana, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi Group, GlaxoSmithKline, Meda Pharma, Merck, Sharp & Dohme, Mitsubishi-Pharma Corporation, LTD., Novartis, and PharmAxis. The generous contributions of these companies assured that Committee members could meet together to discuss issues and reach consensus in a constructive and timely manner. The members of the GINA Committees are, however, solely responsible for the statements and conclusions presented in this publication
