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New FAACT and ACAAI Campaign Seeks to Close the Gap on Food Allergy Diagnosis and Management Awareness

April 29, 2015  |  Advocacy, Allergy-awareness, Anaphylaxis, Awareness, Blog, Board-certified-allergist, campaign, Education, Epinephrine, Food-allergy, Food-allergy-blog, Patient, pediatrician, School, Support, Support-group
New FAACT and ACAAI Campaign Seeks to Close the Gap on Food Allergy Diagnosis and Management Awareness

by Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT President & CEO

Food allergy management is in the news and discussed on social media more than ever. That’s good news for people living with food allergies, because the more friends and family members they have looking out for them, the better.

However, there’s still a lot more work to be done. An astounding 49 percent of Americans are only “somewhat” or “not at all” knowledgeable about food allergies, according to a national survey conducted in March. There is a lot of misinformation about food allergies as well. Almost one-third of respondents thought there was little or no difference between food allergies and food intolerances. Many also thought that someone with a food allergy can eat small amounts of a food without having a reaction.

I am so honored to announce a new partnership between the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) and American College of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology (ACAAI) for a food allergy public service campaign. Our goal is to raise awareness about the life-saving importance of working with a board-certified allergist to accurately diagnose a food allergy and develop an effective management plan.

Putting together the right medical care team is critical when it comes to diagnosing and managing severe food allergies and anaphylaxis. The purpose of this campaign with ACAAI is to help families obtain accurate testing, diagnosis, and management by working with a board-certified allergist. We also want families to know that there are many resources available to them for support and to know they are not alone. Education is key!

The campaign is funded in part through a grant from the National Peanut Board. Since its founding in 2001, the board – which represents America’s 7,500 peanut farming families – has dedicated more than $12 million to independent food allergy research, education and outreach.

Visitors to livingwithfoodallergies.org will be able to quickly access science-based information from ACAAI and other trusted sources and find a board-certified allergist in their area. The site is seamlessly integrated with FAACT’s own Web site, which provides links to local support groups, resources for developing food allergy and anaphylaxis management plans, and other resources for anyone who has a food allergy – or suspects they do.

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