AAAAI Leads Food Allergy Research Advocacy Funding

October 27, 2023
The AAAAI joined others to urge Congressional Leadership to work toward the enactment of the fiscal year 2024 Defense Appropriations Act, and ensure full funding levels for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). Read more.

May 18, 2023
The AAAAI submitted testimony today to the Senate Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies urging increased funding for CoFAR, and also for antimicrobial resistance programs including expanding penicillin allergy de-labeling.

April 13, 2023
The AAAAI submitted testimony to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration to recommend that Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packages include early introduction of peanut to prevent future allergy, and include bill language to ensure a precautionary sesame allergen labeling policy and prevent mislabeling that may harm consumers.

March 24, 2023
The AAAAI initiated a letter on FY24 food allergy-related priorities to House Appropriations leaders, supporting outreach initiated by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), and joined by the ACAAI and several patient advocacy organizations, requesting:
•   $18.2 million in FY24 for CoFAR;
•   Report language supporting trans-NIH research on food allergies;
•   Continuance of food allergies on list of conditions eligible for the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program;
•   Bill language on allergen labeling policy and to prevent mislabeling following challenges with FASTER Act implementation.

In addition, the AAAAI submitted written testimony to the House Appropriations Committee in support of the CoFAR funding increase, NIH trans-institute food allergy research, antimicrobial resistance activities, and education on penicillin allergy evaluation to de-label non-allergic patients.

September 1, 2022
AAAAI Endorses Reauthorization of Child Nutrition Programs, Support for Individuals with Food Allergies
The AAAAI has sent a letter in support of the Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act (H.R. 8450), which reauthorizes and modernizes the federal child nutrition programs and enhances support for individuals with food allergies.

June 2, 2022
The AAAAI and others urged Representatives McCollum and Calvert, chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Defense, Committee on Appropriations, respectively, and Senators Tester and Shelby, chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on Defense Committee on Appropriations, respectively, to continue their support for the critical and highly successful defense health research programs funded through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the Department of Defense (DoD). Read the letters.

May 19, 2022
On May 18, the AAAAI reached out to Senate offices requesting that they join letters championed by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to Senate Appropriators in support of fiscal year 2023 food allergy research. The letters request robust funding for and report language related to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Consortium on Food Allergy Research (CoFAR), and requests that food allergies be maintained on a list of conditions eligible for research under the Department of Defense’s Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program.

May 3, 2022
The AAAAI led a letter to leaders charged with allocating FY23 appropriations, including Representatives DeLauro, Granger, chair and ranking member of the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, Representatives McCollum, and Calvert, chair and ranking member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and Representative Cole, ranking member of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. The AAAAI, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and several patient advocacy organizations, respectfully requested:
•   $15.2 million in FY23 – an annual increase of $6.1 million for the Consortium on Food Allergy Research (CoFAR) within the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
•   subcommittee report language reflecting the importance of NIH engaging in trans-NIH research on food allergies:
“Food Allergies.—The Committee recognizes the serious issue of food allergies which affect approximately eight percent of children and ten percent of adults in the United States. The Committee commends the ongoing work of NIAID in supporting a total of 17 clinical sites for this critical research, including seven sites as part of the Consortium of Food Allergy Research (CoFAR). The Committee includes $15,200,000, an increase of $6,100,000, for CoFAR to expand its clinical research network to add new centers of excellence in food allergy clinical care and to select such centers from those with a proven expertise in food allergy research.”
And
•   In Department of Defense funding, that food allergies be maintained on the list of conditions to be eligible for research under the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP).

The AAAAI also continued its collaboration with Congressmen Ro Khanna and Anthony Gonzalez to request other lawmakers likewise support robust federal investment in Food Allergy Research in FY23.

October 6, 2021
The AAAAI joined with 111 other Defense Health Research Consortium members to urge that Congress fully fund Fiscal Year 2022 Defense Health Research Programs - including the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). Read more.

July 12, 2021
The AAAAI has again lead a letter from food allergy research stakeholders to contact leadership of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, emphasizing the importance of increasing life-saving research on food allergies. The AAAAI thanks the American College Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, Allergy & Asthma Network, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team, FARE, and the International FPIES Association for joining this important outreach.

May 21, 2020
The AAAAI submitted testimony to the Senate Appropriation Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies regarding Fiscal Year 2021 funding for food allergy research.

Appropriations Testimony Encourages CoFAR, NIH Funding, CDC Work on AMR
May 20, 2021
The AAAAI submitted written testimony before the House Labor/Health & Human Services Appropriations Committee on several advocacy priorities. We called for a $6.1 million increase in funding for the NIH Consortium on Food Allergy Resarch (CoFAR), report language supporting food allergy research across NIH efforts, and increased funding for the National Healthcare Safety Network on antimicrobial resistant infections to improve antibiotic prescribing including expanding penicillin allergy verification.

April 2, 2020
The AAAAI is one of a broad group of stakeholders that has sent a letter in support of Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) at the Department of Defense (DoD).

March 12, 2020
The AAAAI once again lead an effort to send a letter, joined by ACAAI, AAFA, AAN, FARE, FAACT, and I-FPIES, to the Senate Appropriations committee and other members of the U.S. Senate in support of targeted increased funding for food allergy research in Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) appropriations.

February 20, 2020
The AAAAI sent a letter to Appropriations Committee staff as well as staff of the Allergies and Asthma Caucus in support of targeted increased funding for food allergy. The effort, in support of outreach to other House members by Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA), Congressman Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), Congressman Phil Roe, MD (R-TN) and colleagues, was joined by ACAAI, AAFA, AAN, FARE, FAACT, and I-FPIES. The letter will be distributed to all members of the House of Representatives.

January 21, 2020
New Federal Funding for Food Allergy Research Available
The Department of Defense (DOD) has posted a "pre-announcement" regarding the availability of funding for the Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP), which for FY 2020 includes food allergies in the list of conditions eligible to studied, thanks to the leadership of Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Congressman Phil Roe (R-TN) in garnering broad bi-partisan support to increase federal spending on food allergy research, and to Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) for his work in support of the DOD funding allocation for the PRMRP to include food allergies. Read the letter coordinated by the AAAAI and signed on to by the ACAAI, AAFA, FAACT, FARE, and I-FPIES in support of this increase.

Since 1992, Congress has provided funding for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRPs) in the annual Defense Appropriations Act. Specific funding levels are provided for disease-specific programs, ranging from more common cancers to rare diseases to Gulf War Illness. The programs are administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) at the DOD.

A Funding Opportunity Announcement with additional information will be issued in the coming weeks with proposal and submission instructions. We will keep you posted as soon as we hear an update.

September 16, 2019
The AAAAI is excited to share that the Senate Appropriations Committee passed the Defense Appropriations Bill with "Food Allergies" added to the list of conditions eligible to studied by the $350 million Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program at the Department of Defense (DOD). We thank Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) for their leadership in support of increasing food allergy research funding in the FY 2020 federal budget.

"Food allergies can have deadly consequences, and pose a unique risk to our service members in combat or their families on base. Renewed investment in food allergy research at the Department of Defense has the potential to benefit not just our service members and their families, but the more than 26 million Americans who suffer from this condition," said Senator Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"One in 13 children suffer from food allergies, and millions more adults live with unimaginable stress, fear, and panic over what might be safe to eat. I am tremendously thankful my request to make food allergies eligible for research funding through the Department of Defense was included in this year's Senate Appropriations Bill. This will likely mean an additional $5-$10 million of federal funding for food allergy research. Together we will find a treatment and a cure," said Representative Khanna.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), Allergy & Asthma Network, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team, Food Allergy Research & Education, and the International FPIES Association joined in a letter asking members of Congress to support the request, and leaders of the AAAAI visited Capitol Hill in May of this year in support of the effort.

"Working together with leaders in Congress and with other organizations dedicated to improving care in allergy/immunology is a core part of the mission of the AAAAI. We send sincere thanks to Congressman Khanna and Senator Blumenthal for their support in this lifesaving endeavor of food allergy research," said AAAAI President David M. Lang, MD, FAAAAI.

May 10, 2019
AAAAI Presents Congressional Briefing on Food Allergy Research, Leads Effort for Increased Federal Funding

The AAAAI will be joining Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Representative Phil Roe, MD, (R-TN) for a congressional briefing on food allergy research on May 22. AAAAI Immediate Past-President Robert A. Wood, MD, FAAAAI, will join as a speaker, as well as one of Dr. Wood’s food allergy patients who will talk about her life-threatening food allergies, and her successful participation in food allergy research.

The AAAAI is also proud to have worked with Rep. Khanna on several recent efforts to bolster support of federal funding for food allergy research, including the following:

•   Rep. Khanna and Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) led a request to the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Subcommittee on Appropriations, regarding an increase in funding for the Consortium on Food Allergy Research. The letter of request was signed by 30 bipartisan members of Congress.

•   Rep. Khanna and Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) led a request that the LHHS Subcommittee include a statement of programmatic support to be appended as Report Language to the FY20 bill appropriating funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The letter of request was signed by 31 bipartisan members of Congress and last week the committee released its report which includes the requested language in support of food allergy research.

•   Rep. Khanna and Rep. Roe led a request signed by 34 members of Congress for support of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to include food allergies on the list of conditions eligible for research funding under the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program.

•   Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) is leading this effort in the U.S. Senate and has submitted the same three requests for consideration during the Senate appropriations process.

The AAAAI thanks the following organizations for supporting our outreach with Representatives Khanna, Roe, Gonzales, and McHenry, and Senator Blumenthal:

American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Allergy and Asthma Network
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team
Food Allergy Research & Education
International FPIES Association

In addition to the food allergy briefing, on May 22 the AAAAI will be represented by a dozen physician members and leaders during visits to Capitol Hill to talk to nearly 30 representatives and senators about food allergy research funding. They will also be seeking support of committee leaders and their own Congressional delegations to join as co-sponsors of H.R. 2468, the School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act, an AAAAI-led collaborative initiative recently introduced by Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Rep. Roe. Finally, information on the important role of verification of patient reported penicillin allergy in the crucial fight against anti-microbial resistance will be discussed. Members of the Hart Health Strategies team and the AAAAI’s expert consultants on legislative and regulatory advocacy will be facilitating these visits.

April 4, 2019
AAAAI Coordinates Senate Efforts to Support Food Allergy Research
In addition to our work with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and others in the House of Representatives to increase food allergy research funding in the FY 2020 federal budget, AAAAI is now also working with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). An AAAAI-led group sign on letter has been sent to Senate appropriations leaders and AAAAI is working with Sen. Blumenthal to seek additional senate support for federal investment in food allergy research. The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), Allergy & Asthma Network, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team, Food Allergy Research & Education, and the International FPIES Association have joined the effort. Won't you as well? Read the group sign on letter here and find out how you can help today.

How you can help
The AAAAI is working with Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to request that food allergy research be prioritized across the federal government. The AAAAI developed this group letter and advocacy outreach campaign in support of requests made by Sen. Blumenthal to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The AAAAI was joined by the ACAAI, the Allergy & Asthma Network, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team, Food Allergy Research & Education, and the International FPIES Association in asking for:

• Robust funding for the Consortium of Food Allergy Research (CoFAR) within the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID);
• Report language reflecting the importance of trans-NIH research on food allergies; and
• Food allergies to be added to the list of conditions eligible for research under the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP).

Senator Blumenthal is in the process of contacting all U.S. Senators to invite them to sign on in support. The AAAAI has also contacted every senator to request they cosign the appropriations request letters, as well as to share the group support letter.

Add Your Voice
Please consider adding your voice to amplify AAAAI’s and our stakeholder partners’ message. You can contact your two senators and urge them to cosign the letters to the appropriations committee leadership. The deadline to cosign Sen. Blumenthal’s request letter is Monday, April 8. Therefore, there’s no time like the present to voice your support.

You can look up your Senators here and then call or email.

To Call:
The senate office phone numbers are available at the link provided above. Alternatively, you may reach the United States Senate switchboard operator at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be transferred to your senator’s office. Once you are connected, you can ask for the person who handles health issues. If they are not available, feel free to leave a message on their voice mail and make the following points:
•   I’m a constituent physician from _________
•   On behalf of my patients with food allergies, I want to let you know about bipartisan appropriations requests supporting food allergy research.
•   Senator Blumenthal has circulated draft letters to the Senate Appropriations Committee and is seeking additional signatures.
•   I’m hoping you will consider cosigning these requests.
•   If you have any questions, please contact Alison Council with Sen. Blumenthal who is leading this effort.
•   Thank you for your consideration.

To Email:
A contact link is provided for each senator here and will take you directly to your senator’s webpage with instructions to send an email. Many times, you will be asked to populate a form with your information and message. A sample message follows which may be personalized to cut and paste into the contact form.

I’m a constituent physician writing on behalf of my patients with food allergies to request that you cosign bipartisan letters to the Senate Appropriations Committee requesting support for food allergy research. Senator Richard Blumenthal is circulating draft letters and seeking additional signatures. The letters request food allergy language in the Labor/HHS report, increased funding for the Consortium on Food Allergy Research (CoFAR) at NIH, and to add ‘food allergies’ to the list of conditions eligible to be studied under the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP). Each year, more than 200,000 Americans require emergency medical care for allergic reactions to food – equivalent to one trip to the emergency room every three minutes. I appreciate your consideration of my request. If you have any questions, please contact Alison Council with Sen. Blumenthal who is leading this effort. Thank you for your consideration.

March 21, 2019
The AAAAI is working with Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) to request that food allergy research be prioritized across the federal government. The AAAAI developed this group letter and advocacy outreach campaign in support of bipartisan requests made by Reps. Khanna, Phil Roe, MD (R-TN), Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), and Patrick McHenry (R-NC) to the House Appropriations Committee. Specifically, these Members of Congress and the AAAAI were joined by the ACAAI, the Allergy & Asthma Network, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team, and the International FPIES Association in asking for:

I’m a constituent physician from _________
On behalf of my patients with food allergies, I want to let you know about bipartisan appropriations requests supporting food allergy research.
Reps. Khanna, McHenry, Gonzalez and Roe circulated a Dear Colleague with the draft letters and are seeking additional signatures.
I’m hoping you will consider cosigning these requests.
If you have any questions, please contact Will McKelvey, with Rep. Ro Khanna who is leading this effort.
Thank you for your consideration.

To Email:
Your representative’s website likely includes a “contact me” tab (or you may see a small letter icon next to their picture) which allows you to populate a form with your information and message. A sample message follows which may be personalized to cut and paste into the contact form.

I’m a constituent physician writing on behalf of my patients with food allergies to request that you cosign bipartisan letters to the House Appropriations Committee requesting support for food allergy research. Reps. Khanna, McHenry, Gonzalez and Roe have circulated a Dear Colleague with the draft letters and are seeking additional signatures. The letters request food allergy language in the Labor/HHS report, increased funding for the Consortium on Food Allergy Research (CoFAR) at NIH, and to add ‘food allergies’ to the list of conditions eligible to be studied under the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP). Each year, more than 200,000 Americans require emergency medical care for allergic reactions to food – equivalent to one trip to the emergency room every three minutes. I appreciate your consideration of my request. If you have any questions, please contact Will McKelvey, with Rep. Ro Khanna who is leading this effort.

Cookie Notice

AAAAI Leads Food Allergy Research Advocacy Funding

Share this page:

Share this page:

Share this page: