We read with interest the recent paper by Weatherall et al who presented data from a meta-analysis of the relative safety of long-acting β-agonists (LABAs).1 In 2008 the FDA reported on the safety of LABAs and concluded that the nature and magnitude of risk needs to be confirmed. When adverse outcomes are reported relatively infrequently in clinical trials, it is difficult to interpret the value of such analysis and a more thorough examination of these index cases may yield …