I have been asked to stand back and describe in broad terms the view I have had of common colds--probably the most frequent of acute human diseases and a long-lasting scientific problem--and in particular our recent work on antivirals. I should be able to do this for two reasons. Like everyone else I have suffered from colds, but in addition I have been studying the problem from the virological and clinical point of view for over 35 years--for the last 31 at the Common Cold Unit, Salisbury. As a result I may have problems with perspective--it is not possible to give a personal view and at the same time to describe something from every possible angle, and quite impossible to be comprehensive, but I have done my best and readers will make their own judgements and corrections.