"The Food Allergy Initiative is proud to underwrite the publication of this landmark document, which will be distributed to thousands of healthcare professionals nationwide," said Mary Jane Marchisotto, Executive Director of FAI, who also served on the Coordinating Committee. "Food allergy is a major national health concern, particularly among children.  Almost a quarter of all emergency room visits now involve children under age five, and in a national survey, elementary school nurses identified food allergy as a larger problem than diabetes. We hope these guidelines will become the standard of care for all medical professionals who treat food allergy, enabling us to save lives as well as much-needed costs in our healthcare system."

Noting that the Guidelines also identify gaps in existing scientific knowledge about food allergy, Marchisotto said, "Based on the results of promising clinical trials, scientists believe that a cure for food allergies is within reach. In addition to sponsoring outstanding research worldwide, FAI has been instrumental in increasing federal funding for food allergy research from approximately $4 million in 2004 to nearly $27 million today. This increase, along with the development of the Guidelines, underscores the federal government's commitment to solving the problem of life-threatening food allergies.  However, more research is urgently needed to answer key questions, develop better treatments, and, ultimately, to find a cure. To this end, the Guidelines will be a critical tool as FAI partners with researchers, government officials, private industry and advocates to chart a Final Roadmap to a Cure."

Source: Food Allergy Initiative (FAI)