Overprescribing of Seretide/Advair..?

[servewithmintsauce]

Not really related to me, but I've been hearing a lot lately about people who are diagnosed with mild asthma and straight out are given Seretide (Advair in the US). Huh?!

Seretide comes with a black-box warning from the FDA. It is only for use in people whose asthma is not controlled on steroids alone AFTER AND ONLY AFTER a full trial of an inhaled steroid alone (unless it is clear that they have severe asthma). It carries a risk - albeit small - of increased incidence of asthma-related deaths in people using it! Why would you give it to someone with mild asthma?!

I'm not trying to put anyone's experience down here, because asthma sucks whatever the level, but why are GPs prescribing Seretide as a first-line drug for MILD asthma?