Food Allergy Clinical Practice Guidelines

An expert panel sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has issued comprehensive U.S. guidelines to assist health care professionals in diagnosing food allergy and managing the care of people with the disease.

The Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Report of the NIAID-sponsored Expert Panel, developed over two years, are intended for use by both family practice physicians and medical specialists. Published online by the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the guidelines and summary recommendations are freely accessible on the NIAID Food Allergy Guidelines portal. NIAID expects to make a lay language synopsis of the guidelines available there in early 2011.

Food Allergy Clinical Practice Guidelines

Food Allergy
Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States

Food allergy is a public health problem that affects children and adults and may be increasing in prevalence. Currently, there is no treatment for food allergy; the disease can only be managed by allergen avoidance or treatment of symptoms. The diagnosis of food allergy also may be difficult because non-allergic food reactions, such as food intolerance, are often mistakenly classified as food allergies.

To address these concerns, NIAID worked with 34 professional organizations, federal agencies, and patient advocacy groups to develop concise clinical guidelines for healthcare professionals on the diagnosis and management of food allergy and the treatment of acute food allergy reactions.

Read the FAQ about the guidelines: Public Comment: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy.

Complete Guidelines

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View the complete Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Report of the NIAID-sponsored Expert PanelExternal Web Site Policy
[Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Report of the NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel]

Summary for Clinicians

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View the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Summary of the NIAID-sponsored Expert Panel Report (PDF)
[http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/foodAllergy/clinical/Documents/FAGuidelinesExecSummary.pdf]