The programme team leading the National Review of Asthma Deaths have produced an update on their work.

> Download issue 2 of the NRAD Newsletter (March 2012)

Please note two particular items of NRAD news:

NRAD will also be receiving notifications from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) for the purpose of case ascertainment.  If they are notified of a case from a hospital/practice from ONS theywill contact you to ask you to complete the relevant forms.

The notification criteria have been extended with a new item. Notification criterion for Asthma Deaths to the NRAD team are now:

• Death certified as being due to asthma (ICD-10 J45-J46) in part 1 of the medical certification of the cause of death (MCCD)
• Post-mortem diagnosis of asthma as cause of death
• Clinician diagnosis of asthma as probable cause of death (NEW)
• Death classified as being due to anaphylaxis (ICD-10 T78.2)