Information updates

ASCIA Food Allergy e-training for Health Professionals has been substantially updated and the new course is available from 30 November 2021.

First developed in 2011, the latest version is for suitable for medical practitioners, nurses and dietitians.

The following six modules are included:

Module 1: Food Allergy Overview

Module 2: Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of Food Allergy

Module 3: Cow’s Milk (Dairy) Allergy

Module 4: Other Conditions Related to Food Allergy

Module 5: The Role of Dietitians in Managing Food Allergy

Module 6: Final Assessment

Thank you to ASCIA members and the ASCIA team who undertook the extensive review and editing of the course over the past few years. 

Register or go to the course here

The learning outcomes for this course are:

• Differentiate between food allergy and other adverse reactions to foods, including food intolerances.
• Understand the role of medical practitioners and dietitians in the diagnosis and management of food allergy.
• Identify appropriate specialised formula choices for infants with food allergy.

This course has received support from the National Allergy Strategy and ASCIA gratefully acknowledges all of the generous supporters of ASCIA education resources, as listed on the ASCIA website https://www.allergy.org.au/about-ascia/sponsors 

This news item was issued on 30 November 2021 by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), the peak professional body for clinical immunology and allergy in Australia and New Zealand.

The Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport has tabled its report ‘The New Frontier: Delivering better health to all Australians’, following the Parliamentary Inquiry into approval processes for new drugs and novel medical technologies in Australia. 

The three main issues raised in the ASCIA submission to this Parliamentary Inquiry (access to treatments, genomic testing and newborn screening for SCID) that were presented on behalf of ASCIA by Prof Connie Katelaris AM, Prof Jo Douglass and Dr Melanie Wong have been included in the report.

Access to treatments was included in several recommendations and the other issues are specifically mentioned in recommendations 2 (genomic testing) and 21 (newborn screening).  

A link to this report can be found at https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Health_Aged_Care_and_Sport/Newdrugs/Report

The ASCIA submission to this Parliamentary Inquiry was lodged in November 2020 and can be found at https://www.allergy.org.au/ascia-reports#s1

This news item was issued on 26 November 2021 by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), the peak professional body for clinical immunology and allergy in Australia and New Zealand.

New standard of care to manage anaphylaxis will save lives

A new Acute Anaphylaxis Clinical Care Standard has been developed by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, in consultation with consumers and healthcare professionals, and is now available online at https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/standards/clinical-care-standards/acute-anaphylaxis-clinical-care-standard.

The Anaphylaxis Clinical Care Standard was launched today, 24th November, via a live one-hour webcast event. Medical experts, including Dr Preeti Joshi, discussed barriers to prompt recognition of anaphylaxis, appropriate treatment, safe discharge and best practice care after anaphylaxis.  

The National Allergy Strategy, ASCIA and Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia (A&AA) have been represented on the expert working group run by the Commission, to support the evidence review, development and launch of the Clinical Care Standard, which is consistent with ASCIA Guidelines for Acute Management of Anaphylaxis. To access the ASCIA Guidelines go to www.allergy.org.au/hp/papers/acute-management-of-anaphylaxis-guidelines

Download a copy: Acute Anaphylaxis Clinical Care Standard

Media release: National standard of care for anaphylaxis will save lives

This news item was issued on 24 November 2021 by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), the peak professional body for clinical immunology and allergy in Australia and New Zealand.

COVID-19 vaccination is an important way to reduce the risk of developing COVID-19, which is caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Even if a person does get infected, it is likely to be a milder illness if they have been vaccinated.

Once there is a very high level of COVID-19 vaccination in the population, this can allow travel, work, schools, social activities and in person retail shopping to resume.

From an allergy perspective the only contraindication to COVID-19 vaccination is documented anaphylaxis to a previous COVID-19 vaccine or documented anaphylaxis to one of the components (excipients) contained in COVID-19 vaccines. There is limited use for skin testing to COVID vaccines and their excipients.

Anaphylaxis to vaccines is rare, and almost always occurs within 30 minutes of vaccination. Most people who have anaphylaxis to one type of COVID-19 vaccine will be able to have one of the other types of COVID-19 vaccines.

The seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic and health consequences mean that medical exemptions under the 'other specified medical condition' category are generally not issued. 

Clinical immunology/allergy specialists are strong advocates for vaccination.  Due to current waiting times of at least six months for appointments to see clinical immunology/allergy specialists, discussions about the numerous benefits and rare risks of COVID-19 vaccination may delay timely vaccination, and people seeking medical exemptions should be aware of the health consequences.

Further information is available from the ASCIA website

https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/covid-19

Updated 4 January 2022

Since 11 October 2021, Australians who are severely immunocompromised have been able to receive a third COVID-19 vaccine dose to boost their protection against COVID-19 to the highest level.

Since late October 2021 booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines for individuals 18 years and older have been approved. Whilst the original approval was a third booster dose provided at least six months after the completion of a COVID-19 vaccine primary course of two doses, this has been changed in January 2022 to four months in Australia and New Zealand.

Approval of booster doses means that COVID-19 vaccines have been found safe and effective to boost protection for individuals aged 18 years and older through a third booster dose provided after the completion of a COVID-19 vaccine primary course of two doses. The primary course can be any of the COVID-19 vaccines registered for use in Australia or New Zealand. 

People remain fully vaccinated with two doses of approved COVID-19 vaccines and the commencement of booster doses will provide additional protection and peace of mind for Australians and New Zealanders.

Further information: 

https://www.allergy.org.au/about-ascia/info-updates/third-covid-19-vaccine-shot-recommended-for-people-who-are-severely-immunocompromised

https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/tga-approval-for-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-booster-dose-0

The National Allergy Strategy is a partnership between ASCIA and Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia. Several new and updated National Allergy Strategy resources have recently been launched, which are listed below. 

• NEW Allergy Aware Resource hub
  • This resource hub contains the new National Allergy Strategy Best practice guidelines for anaphylaxis prevention and management in schools and children’s education and care (CEC) services and supporting resources, along with links to A&AA and ASCIA resources for the school and CEC settings.
  • This resource hub is for staff working in schools and children’s education and care services as well as for parents/guardians and students.
• UPDATED All about Allergens course – food allergen management training for all staff working in food service. This course has been revised to suit staff that work in both front of house and back of house. It is an interactive course that takes about 45 minutes to complete.
• UPDATED All about Allergens for Cooks and Chefs – this course has been revised to be a single stand-alone course for cooks and chefs. It is an interactive course that takes about 1 hour to complete.
• NEW All about Allergens Resource hub – This new resource hub provides resources to help those working in food service to provide appropriate food to customers with food allergies. Freely downloadable resources and templates are available for general food service, hospital food service and food service in schools, CEC services and camps.
• NEW My Health Record and allergy podcasts for health professionals and consumers. The National Allergy Strategy has worked with the Australian Digital Health Agency to develop podcasts for health professionals and consumers about My Health Record and allergy information. The podcasts feature Maria Said, CEO of A&AA along with Dr Dean Tey (paediatric clinical immunology and allergy specialist), Dr Aaron Chambers (GP) and Dr Charlotte Hespe (RACGP) and facilitated by Dr Andrew Rochford.
  • Consumer podcast
  • Health professional podcast

Stay up to date with NAS projects via their website. 

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has released a statement, prepared in consultation with ASCIA, which recommends a third primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine for people who are severely immunocompromised. This includes people with primary immunodeficiencies (PID) disorders, also known as inborn errors of immunity (IEI).

.The ATAGI statement is available at:

https://www.health.gov.au/news/atagi-statement-on-the-use-of-a-3rd-primary-dose-of-covid-19-vaccine-in-individuals-who-are-severely-immunocompromised

The following ASCIA documents have been updated to include the ATAGI recommendations:

• Allergy, Immunodeficiency, Autoimmunity and COVID-19 Vaccination FAQ for patients, consumers and carers Updated October 2021
• COVID-19 and Immunodeficiency FAQ for patients, consumers and carers Updated October 2021

The recommended interval for the third dose is two to six months after the second dose of vaccine. People with PID/IEI who had a second dose more than six months ago should receive a third dose whenever this is feasible.

In summary the ATAGI recommendations state that a third primary dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for people with the following immunocompromising conditions and/or therapies:

• Primary immunodeficiency (PID) disorders, also known as inborn errors of immunity (IEI),
  including combined immunodeficiency and syndromes, major antibody deficiency (e.g. common variable immune deficiency (CVID) or agammaglobulinemia), defects of innate immunity (including phagocytic cells), defects of immune regulation, complement deficiencies and phenocopies of PID/IEI.
• Some immunosuppressive therapies.
• Haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy recipients within 2 years of transplantation.
• Solid organ transplant with immunosuppressive therapy.
• Active haematological malignancy.
• Non-haematological malignancy with current active treatment excluding immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
• Advanced or untreated HIV with CD4 counts <250/μL or those with a higher CD4 count unable to be established on effective antiretroviral therapy.
• Long term haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

ASCIA will continue to provide advice to ATAGI on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in people who are severely immunocompromised. 

ASCIA will also continue to update ASCIA COVID-19 information as recommendations and restrictions evolve.

In anticipation of lockdowns easing the following updated pictorial checklist has been developed, which is included in the COVID-19 and Immunodeficiency FAQ:

• Checklist - Actions to Reduce the Spread of COVID-19 Updated October 2021

The following ASCIA COVID-19 information has also been recently updated, to include the Moderna Spikevax vaccine:

• COVID-19 Vaccination Guidelines for Clinical Immunology/Allergy Specialists Updated September 2021
• Allergy, Immunodeficiency, Autoimmunity and COVID-19 Vaccination - Position Statement for health professionals Updated September 2021
• Allergy and COVID-19 Vaccination - Guide for health professionals Updated September 2021
• Immunodeficiency, Autoimmunity and COVID-19 Vaccination - Guide for health professionals Updated September 2021