OBJECTIVES: Asthma, a major chronic respiratory disease, has become a cause of global concern in terms of its increasing prevalence, morbidity and economic impact.Our aim was to examine the availability, pricing and affordability of asthma medicines in Tehran . METHODS: The study methodology was  designed using the recommendations developed by the World Health Organization and Health Action International on measuring medicine prices, availability, affordability and price components. Data was collected from 5 public sector facilities and 10 private sector retail pharmacies in the pilot study in 22 regions of Tehran.Data on price of innovator brands (IBs) and lowest priced generics (LPGs) found at each facility were gathered and applied for data analtysis. RESULTS: Generic beclomethasone was found in 3 public sectors and generic salbutamol was available in 4 public sectors.The availability of IB beclomethasone was poor in all of the regions surveyed .IB beclomethasone was available at 2 out of 5 and 5 out of 10 pharmacies surveyed in public and private sectors, respectively. The availability of generic beclomethasone inhalers was 90%. IB salbutamol inhalers were available in all the surveyed regions.At the time of the survey, the lowest paid unskilled government worker earned 108 400 Iranian Rials (IRR) (US$ 11.78) per day. CONCLUSIONS: The poor availability of inhalers at public facilities affects those patients who depend on these facilities for treatment and medications. In the past decade, some barriers were imposed  by the Ministry of Health on registering certain pharmaceuticals . A new approach has focused on reducing these barriers and there is a need for stronger government action to introduce or improve national medicine policy as well as effective pricing policies.