Information updates

ASCIA Dietary Guides and information for people with cow’s milk (dairy) allergy have been updated to include avoidance of medicated toothpastes, chewing gums and other dental products containing Recaldent™.

These updates has been made in response to recent and previous reports of anaphylaxis in Australia and the US to Recaldent™, also known as CPP-ACP (casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate), which is made from cow’s milk protein.

Links to new educational animation videos about primary immunodeficiencies are now on the ASCIA website.  These videos have been developed by the International Patient Organisation for Primary Immunodeficiencies (IPOPI), to increase the understanding of these conditions, the importance of early detection and access to treatments. 

The ASCIA website also includes links to animation videos developed as initiatives of the National Allergy Strategy, which continues to be implemented by the National Allergy Council: 

How allergies work  

How to safely remove ticks and prevent tick allergy

How to position a person having anaphylaxis

What is allergic rhinitis (hay fever)?

What is eczema (atopic dermatitis)?

Infant feeding and allergy prevention

The ASCIA website also includes links to Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia animation videos on the following topics:

Signs and Symptoms of Allergic Reactions 

Adrenaline Injector Instructions - How to give EpiPen 

Adrenaline Injector Instructions - How to give Anapen

ASCIA Dietary Guides for food allergy are now available in html (webpage format) as well as pdf. This means that each Guide can be translated using ReadSpeaker, which was not possible when they were only available as pdf documents.  ReadSpeaker also enables text to speech for people who are vision impaired or have limited reading ability.

Each ASCIA Dietary Guide (as listed below) has ReadSpeaker installed, which enables translations by highlighting the text, clicking on 'translate’ and selecting the language. 

All of the following webpages can be accessed at www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-allergy/ascia-dietary-avoidance-for-food-allergy

1. ASCIA Dietary avoidance - Cow's milk protein (dairy) Updated October 2022
2. ASCIA Dietary avoidance - Cow's milk protein (dairy) and soy Updated October 2022
3. ASCIA Dietary avoidance - Egg Updated October 2022
4. ASCIA Dietary avoidance - Fish Updated October 2022
5. ASCIA Dietary avoidance - Peanut Updated October 2022
6. ASCIA Dietary avoidance - Sesame Updated October 2022
7. ASCIA Dietary avoidance - Shellfish Updated October 2022
8. ASCIA Dietary avoidance - Soy Updated October 2022
9. ASCIA Dietary avoidance - Treenut Updated October 2022
10. ASCIA Dietary avoidance - Wheat Updated October 2022

ASCIA Dietary avoidance for food allergy Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) should be used with the ASCIA dietary guides listed above.

In response to requests to make translated ASCIA anaphylaxis information easier to locate, the ASCIA website update in 2022 has included the addition of a new webpage www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/translations-of-anaphylaxis-information

This webpage enables quick links to translations and can be accessed from the ASCIA homepage.

Translations of ASCIA anaphylaxis information include: 

Anaphylaxis Patient Information - English 
Anaphylaxis Patient Information - Other Languages
Anaphylaxis Patient Information - Maori, Samoan, Tongan  
First Aid for Anaphylaxis - English 
First Aid for Anaphylaxis - Other Languages 
First Aid for Anaphylaxis - Maori, Samoan, Tongan 
Anaphylaxis Fact Sheet for Parents - English and Other Languages  
Anaphylaxis Fact Sheet for Parents - Maori, Samoan, Tongan 
How to give EpiPen - English and Other Languages 
How to give EpiPen - Maori, Samoan, Tongan 

Other ASCIA information for patients and carers can be translated using ReadSpeaker, by highlighting the text, clicking on 'translate’ and selecting the language.

A major update of the ASCIA website (that commenced in July 2022) has been completed in October 2022.

The update includes the following new and updated webpages, to make information easier to find, and improve the user experience:

1. ASCIA website homepage - This webpage has been streamlined to feature quick links to the most frequently requested information, including How to Locate a Specialist, ASCIA Action Plans, ASCIA e-training courses and ASCIA anaphylaxis translations.
2. Translated ASCIA anaphylaxis information - A new webpage enables quick links to translations. 
3. ASCIA information for patients and carers - Now accessible via image panels/tiles on a user-friendly webpage. 
4. ASCIA health professional resources - Now accessible via image panels/tiles on a user-friendly webpage. 
5. ASCIA immunodeficiency resources for health professionals - Reordered under new headings (PID, IRT, SCIg, HAE) to make it easier to find information.  
6. ASCIA anaphylaxis resources for health professionals - Now easier to find as the length of this webpage has been reduced.    
7. ASCIA food allergy resources for health professionals - Reordered under new headings to make it easier to find information.  
8. ASCIA allergy prevention resources for health professionals - Reordered to make it easier to find information. 

Why do we need to continue updating and improving the ASCIA website?

• The ASCIA website is a world leading source of accessible, consistent and evidence-based information about allergy and immunodeficiency.
• The ASCIA website continues to attract a large number of users, with more than 3.2 million pageviews, 2.1 million visits and 1.7 million unique visitors in the past year.
• The ASCIA website is regarded as one of the main ASCIA member services (including information for their patients and carers), and sources of continuing professional development.

It is therefore important that we keep reviewing ASCIA website resources and the way that they are accessed, to inform future updates and improvements. The ASCIA website includes information about the development and review process of ASCIA online resources and courses.

Thank you for your comments and feedback about the ASCIA website, which have resulted in many of the updates listed above. We welcome your feedback about the updated ASCIA website, either via the online feedback form or by direct email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA) research grants for 2022 were announced at the  ASCIA 2022 Conference AIFA Research Symposium, which also featured presentations by 2020 AIFA grant recipients.

To read more go to www.allergyimmunology.org.au/news/aifa-announces-grant-recipients-for-2022  

To donate or sponsor 2023 AIFA grants go to www.allergyimmunology.org.au/donate

ASCIA's objectives include Research - to promote and fund research to improve health and quality of life of people with allergy and other immune diseases. ASCIA achieves this through AIFA, which was established by ASCIA in 2013, to fund research into allergy, immunodeficiency and other immune system disorders.

• Only ASCIA members are eligible to apply for AIFA research grants.
• A total of $629,000 in AIFA research grants have been awarded to 27 research projects since 2015.
• The 18 research projects that received AIFA grants up to 2020 have been presented at ASCIA Annual Conferences.
• 100% of donations to AIFA fund research grants, due to the support of ASCIA.
• Thank you to our generous AIFA donors, sponsors and grant selection panel.

The ASCIA Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2022 was held on Friday 2nd September, and Minutes are available here www.allergy.org.au/members/ascia-agm

We welcome A/Prof Theresa Cole as the new ASCIA President and thank Prof Michaela Lucas for her excellent leadership as the ASCIA President over the past two challenging years, from 2020 to 2022.

ASCIA Council members for 2022-2024 are listed at www.allergy.org.au/members/committees#counc

Past ASCIA Presidents are listed at www.allergy.org.au/members/ascia-past-presidents

The ASCIA 2022 Conference was a highly successful hybrid event which was held from Tuesday 30th August to Friday 2nd September, with in-person participation in Melbourne.

The conference attracted more than 600 registered delegates, with around 60 per cent of delegates attending in person, and more than 150 sponsors and exhibitors. Delegates seemed to welcome their interactions with colleagues for the first time since 2019 at an ASCIA Conference.

Congratulations and thank you to the ASCIA 2022 Chair, Dr Dean Tey and the organising committee for compiling an outstanding program which included more than 40 sessions presented over four days.

ASCIA conferences are the leading source of allergy and clinical immunology CPD for health professionals in Australia and New Zealand. To provide further CPD opportunities, registered delegates can view sessions on demand for six months after the conference.

Read the full ASCIA 2022 Conference Report at www.allergy.org.au/conferences/ascia-annual-conference

The Basten Oration presented by Dr David Hill can be viewed open access at www.allergy.org.au/conferences/ascia-annual-conference/annual-ascia-basten-oration