The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) has lodged an application to the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) for a Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) item number for supervised oral food challenges. The content of this application has been developed based on references from recent literature searches, existing ASCIA information and expert consensus. Input was obtained through collaboration with an expert working group comprising clinical immunology/allergy specialists from paediatric and adult services in Australia.  This application has been made as part of the National Allergy Council projects that are assigned to ASCIA. 

MSAC meetings occur 3 times per year, in April, August and December and the due date for this application was 26 July 2024, to be considered at the MSAC meeting in December 2024,  

Although the application has been officially lodged, opportunities still exist for ASCIA to provide MSAC with additional information as it becomes available, or  relevant updates to the information already submitted. We also anticipate that there will be an opportunity for comments to be made in response to a public consultation process,

Supervised oral food challenges are an important way to significantly improve the diagnosis, treatment of management of Australians with food allergy, for the following reasons:

• There is substantial clinical relevance and justification for oral food challenges as outlined in the ASCIA Position Paper - Oral Food Allergen Challenges, which is available open access on the ASCIA website.
• Current access to oral food challenges in public hospital clinics is limited as shown in recent ASCIA workforce surveys, mainly due to long waiting times. This means that management of patients with food allergy needs to be shared by public clinics and private practice. This includes oral food challenges which are an integral part of food allergy diagnosis. Current MBS consultation items are not sufficient to cover oral food challenges.
• Oral food challenges are limited in private practice without an MBS item number, as shown in recent ASCIA workforce surveys, mainly due to costs for patients. With current cost of living issues, it is not feasible for most families to pay significant out of pocket fees for oral food challenges.

Food allergen challenges are standard of care in managing food allergy worldwide. The introduction of an MBS item number for oral food challenges in Australia would greatly assist in reducing wait times, and therefore allow more timely and equitable access to oral food challenges. This would lead to significant cost savings for families and the health system, as well as considerable quality of life benefits.

This news item was issued on 24 July 2024 by Jill Smith, CEO of ASCIA, the peak professional body for clinical immunology and allergy in Australia and New Zealand.