Food Allergy News and Research

States that have policies in place to protect children with allergies and asthma made our 2019 State Honor Roll™ of Asthma and Allergy Policies for Schools (SHR). In the SHR, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) identifies states that have comprehensive laws and policies aimed at keeping children with asthma and allergies healthy at school. (KFA is a division of AAFA.)

From 2008 to 2016, the overall incidence of emergency department visits for anaphylaxis saw a 2.3-fold increase, with the greatest increase occurring in children under five years of age, according to a recently published article in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice (JACI: In Practice), an official journal of the AAAAI.

On Aug. 21, 2019, Kenny Mendez, President and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), co-hosted a Facebook Live session with blogger Anna Luther of My Life and Kids. If you didn’t have a chance to tune in live, you can watch a replay of session. (Kids With Food Allergies is a division of AAFA.)

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) today announced availability of the FDA-approved generic version of EpiPen Jr® (epinephrine injection, USP) Auto-Injector, 0.15 mg, in the U.S. The product is available in most retail pharmacies, and the Wholesale Acquisition Cost is $300 for a 2-pack.

Our report – the My Life With Food Allergy: Parent Survey Report – gives a summary of the emotional, social and financial impact on the parent or caregiver of a child with food allergies. Read more about the findings.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a law on Aug. 9, 2019, that would require health insurance policies in his state to cover epinephrine injectors for children 18 and younger. House Bill 3435 will be effective on Jan. 1, 2020.

Join Anna Luther of My Life and Kids Blog and Kenny Mendez, president and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and Kids With Food Allergies (KFA), a division of AAFA, for a Facebook Live discussion on new research and insights on the social and emotional impact of food allergies on parents. Also get useful back-to-school advice for parents of kids with food allergies!

Windgap Medical, Inc. announced today that it has a strategic partnership with ALK-Abelló, A/S ("ALK") to commercialize the company's epinephrine autoinjector (EAI) for the treatment of anaphylactic shock.

DBV Technologies, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced the submission of its Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Viaskin® Peanut for the treatment of peanut-allergic children ages 4 to 11 years.

Recently, the FDA has been asking for more data to support adding sesame to the list of top food allergens. A new study titled “Prevalence and Severity of Sesame Allergy in the United States” has been released by the JAMA Network today in response to the FDA’s request.

While experimental desensitization strategies are available in research settings, people with food allergies must avoid known allergens and are advised to carry injectable epinephrine to prevent potentially life-threatening allergic reactions caused by accidental exposures. To help alleviate this risk, a new study to evaluate an experimental treatment for food allergy launched today.

Governor Newsom has signed the Natalie Giorgi Sunshine Act. This bill was authored by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (AD16 D-Orinda) and named in honor of Natalie Giorgi. Natalie passed away at age 13 due to a severe allergic reaction to undeclared peanut in a treat while at a summer camp in Sacramento. AB 1532 requires all food handlers to have a simple certification in safe food handling practices for major food allergens. This bill also would add “Organized Camps” to the definition of...