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On the basis of current evidence, it is not possible to determine the most effective format of patient education. There is some limited evidence that group education may be more effective for some outcomes , but a recent meta-analysis failed to provide a conclusive answer . Certainly, group education provides social support, allows interaction with others with similar medical problems, and may help to validate the patients’ experiences and to solve some selfmanagement problems. Group sessions may be less useful for some patients, particularly if there is disease-related stigma - an issue for a substantial proportion of patients with asthma . The contributions to asthma education by lay organizations and pharmacists are not well researched. An equally cogent argument can be mounted in favour of education being tailored to the needs of the individual. This fits more readily into the model of traditional personal medical services, takes place in the patients’ own health care setting and allows greater flexibility in scheduling. Further, the factors associated with poor self-management behaviour and serious self-management errors were many and varied. Individual patient circumstances are of crucial importance, and, in this context, generic or nonspecific interventions are unlikely to be helpful.