We performed an economic evaluation of the costs of asthma in Germany. Estimates of direct medical expenditures and indirect costs were derived from official health statistics of 1992. Adding up direct and indirect costs, the total sum is approximately 2.66 billions ECU which is equivalent to 5.13 billions DM or 3.11 billions US-$, respectively, for a total population of 80.3 millions. Direct costs make up 61.5% of this sum and comprise of outpatient medical care, drugs, hospital treatment, rehabilitation and compensation for occupational asthma as well as sickness benefits. Indirect costs of 38.5% are caused by payments for days off work, premature retirement and premature death due to asthma. Based on these figures, we speculate that an optimised treatment according to published recommendations should be accompanied by a reduction of the high amount of indirect costs.