Category: Allergies & Immunology

What Avarie’s death in Rome teaches us about the gaps in food allergy education

I’ve just returned from the Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Conference in Michigan, an inspiring confluence of advocacy, research, and business, all focused on one shared mission: improving the lives of those living with food allergies. I’ve be…

How moving abroad eased my allergies

A personal discovery “I used to have respiratory allergies back home, but since I moved to Málaga, they didn’t bother me anymore,” a patient answered to the usual question, “Do you have any allergies?” during a checkup in …

Flying with food allergies: Combating misconceptions and advocating for safety

Why do so many people share their harrowing airline experiences with me yet never document them or file complaints? Some say they do not want to relive the trauma. Others feel embarrassed for having been ridiculed, either themselves or in front of thei…

Compassionate solutions for food allergies in air travel [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Lianne Mandelbaum, a leading advocate for airline safety measures to protect food-allergic passengers, discusses the article, “Navigating the uncertainty of food all…

Navigating the uncertainty of food allergies in air travel: a call for compassion and change

Food allergies are a serious, life-threatening medical condition that remains widely misunderstood. For millions of travelers with food allergies, navigating airline policies is an unpredictable challenge, where inconsistent accommodations and societal…

From ER overload to genetic breakthrough: How allergies transformed my life and career

I went to the emergency room 16 times for allergies and asthma as a college freshman. Each time I was given a prescription for an EpiPen, an auto-injector pen that administers a dose of epinephrine, used for the emergency care of an acute allergic reac…

How PCPs can improve allergy diagnoses with component testing [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We explore the rising prevalence of allergies in the U.S., with nearly 1 in 3 adults and over 1 in 4 children affected. Gary Falcetano, a health care executive, explores h…

From anaphylaxis to food allergy freedom: a family’s journey down under

My daughter Amelia’s first bottle of formula was a turning point. The innocent act triggered a terrifying anaphylaxis that catapulted us into a world of food allergies. As a young mother, the diagnosis was a gut-wrenching blow. Every food label b…

Why you need allergen component tests to support your allergy diagnosis

Almost 1 in 3 U.S. adults and more than 1 in 4 U.S. children reported having a seasonal allergy, eczema, or food allergy in 2021. That’s more than 100 million people and rates are rising. While many people experience relatively mild symptoms, for…

A specialist’s journey in health care advocacy

As an allergy, immunology, and autoimmune disease specialist, I frequently see patients whose stories are a harsh indictment of our medical system. They’ve been dismissed, misdiagnosed, and forced to navigate a maze designed for quick fixes, not …