State of World Allergy Report 2008: Allergy and Chronic Respiratory Diseases

This activity was supported by unrestricted educational grants from Stallergenes Allergen Vaccines Worldwide, Nestlé Nutrition Institute, and UCB.

Stallergenes - http://www.stallergenes.com/nc/en.html

http://www.nestlenutrition-institute.org/en

http://www.ucb-group.com/ and http://www.todaysallergies.com

Authors

Editor

Ruby Pawankar, MD PhD

Tresurer, World Allergy Organization

Nippon Medical School

Dept. of Otolaryngology

1-1-5, Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku

Tokyo 113-8603

JAPAN

Carlos E. Baena-Cagnani, MD

Historian, World Allergy Organization

Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University

Santa Rosa 381

Cordoba X 5000 ESG

ARGENTINA

Jean Bousquet, MD

Secretary General, World Allergy Organization

Montpellier Hospital

Av D'Occitanie 273

Montpillier 34090

FRANCE

G. Walter Canonica, MD

President, World Allergy Organization

Ospedale San Martino

University of Genova, Pad. Maragliano

• L. Go R. Benzi 10

Genova 16132

ITALY

Alvaro A. Cruz, MD

ARIA Scientific Committee

Faculdade de Medicina da Bahia (UFBA)

Av. Sta Luzia 379/1501

40295 050 Salvador - BA

BRAZIL

Michael A. Kaliner, MD

Immediate Past-President, World Allergy Organization

Medical Director, Institute for Asthma and Allergy

11002 Veirs Mill Road, Suite 414

Wheaton, MD 20902

USA

Bobby Q. Lanier, MD

Past Member-at-Large, Board of Directors

World Allergy Organization

Mont Del Plaza

6407 Southwest Blvd

Fort Worth, TX 76132-2777

USA

A Message from Professor G. Walter Canonica President, World Allergy Organization

June 2008

Genoa, ITALY

Dear Colleagues:

One of my first duties as President of the World Allergy Organization (WAO) is the pleasure of presenting the State of World Allergy Report 2008. This exciting new WAO initiative, launched at the World Allergy Congress in Bangkok in December 2007, will provide a biennial review of the explosion of allergies around the globe and will consider how the medical, social and economic issues surrounding allergic diseases should be addressed. This first report provides a snapshot of the prevailing situation in 2008 from the perspective of organizations, such as the WAO and the World Health Organization through the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases, which represent allergists and clinical immunologists -- the clinicians at the forefront of attempts to recognize, assess and address this global crisis. The focus of WAO's mandate for the next two years is Innovation in Continuity. WAO will continue to build on its existing programs to further support and develop new research, education and training initiatives in this specialty and to focus attention on the importance of the allergist as the key coordinator of allergy patient care.

The State of World Allergy Report is a call to action for everyone with an interest in allergy to develop a partnership with WAO in a global effort to control and manage allergic diseases on behalf of the world's population.

Yours sincerely,

Professor G. Walter Canonica

President, World Allergy Organization