… In addition, recent statistics reveal a deficit and • Equip primary care doctors with adequate knowledge in growing disparity in the number of allergists in Europe. And even allergy; provide them with the competence to administer first in countries where allergology is recognised as a full medical aid and understand when to refer to specialised care. specialty, automatic recognition between Member States is often • Include allergic disease in the mandatory general curriculum hampered by bureaucracy. of all medical schools in the EU. • Recognise Allergology as a full medical specialty in all EU Furthermore, due to the increasing burden of allergy in Europe, Member States. primary care doctors are responsible for diagnosing, treating and following half of all identified allergy patients in Europe. However, there is currently a recognised knowledge gap in the level of allergy training given to primary care doctors. This is EAACI CALLS ON EU POLICY MAKERS TO COORDINATE ACTIONS TO IMPROVE ALLERGY CARE PUBLIC HEALTH • Develop a comprehensive EU framework on chronic diseases by 2017 recognising allergies as part of this public health priority • Allocate funding under the Health Programme 2014-2020 for pan-European prevention and awareness campaigns to drive recognition of the burden of allergic disease and support cooperation and exchange of best practices between Member States • Support the establishment of pan-European Centres of Excellence in allergy to guide the implementation of national allergy programmes in Europe HEALTH RESEARCH • Foster allergy research in Europe by ensuring allocation of funding under Horizon 2020 • Encourage the creation of pan-European allergy registries and biobanks for the generation of better quality data and to support a targeted and personalised approach to allergy treatment • Promote awareness of the effectiveness of allergen-specific immunotherapy and support European research to cure allergy MEDICAL SPECIALTY • Encourage the formal recognition of a full medical specialty in allergology and of a sub-specialty of pediatric-allergology throughout all EU Member States • Promote and harmonise allergy training and education for primary care to improve early and accurate diagnosis and treatment • Develop and implement an educational model of allergology in all medical schools across the EU EAACI IN THE EU Founded in 1956, the European Academy of Allergy and In recent years EAACI has led major public awareness Clinical Immunology, EAACI, is a non-profit association campaigns on allergy, developed a series of public declarations comprising 49 European National Societies, more than 9,000 on specific advocacy topics (e.g. …