Information updates

The Centre for Food & Allergy Research (CFAR) Hot Publications session is being held on Wednesday 31 August 2022, 11.30-13.00 AEST, as part of the ASCIA 2022 Conference in Melbourne.  This session features brief oral presentations summarising food allergy research that has recently been published or accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Selection will take into account journal impact factor and novelty of the work.

Submissions are invited for recently or soon-to-be published work for a CFAR Hot Publications presentation by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 11 July 2022 with the following information:

Presenter’s name:

Presenter’s primary affiliation:

Presentation title:

Abstract:

Manuscript status* (select one): submitted, under review, accepted, in press, published

Citation information* (as applicable – journal, date submitted/accepted):

Please confirm that you have completed your early bird registration to attend Wednesday 31/8 of the ASCIA 2022 Conference**

*Manuscript status and citation information will be confirmed/updated for selected speakers in late July.

**Applicants should arrange their own day only (Wednesday 31 August) or full conference registration, and CFAR will reimburse Hot Publications speakers for the cost of early bird registration for one day in person ($280-380) or virtual ($220-250) attendance.

Presentations and Q&A will be live on Wednesday 31 August, so speakers must be available to attend the ASCIA 2022 Conference on Wednesday 31 August, either in person or virtually. Speakers who attend virtually will also need to pre-record their presentation.

The theme for World Allergy Week 2022 (5 to 11 June) is respiratory allergic diseases, including asthma. The importance of the connection between allergic airway diseases and asthma is reflected in the ASCIA 2022 Conference program and ASCIA online resources:  

• The ASCIA 2022 Conference program features a Challenging Asthma Symposium as well as a Pollen Allergy Symposium.  Discounted earlybird registration and abstract submission close on 4 July 2022.
• ASCIA allergic rhinitis e-training for health professionals has recently been updated to include information about chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and is available at https://etraininghp.ascia.org.au/
• ASCIA has recently developed a CRSwNP Position Paper which is available at www.allergy.org.au/hp/papers/crswnp
• The ASCIA website includes respiratory allergy resources www.allergy.org.au/allergic-rhinitis 

World Allergy Week is a global campaign of the World Allergy Organisation (WAO), which aims to raise awareness of the impact of allergic diseases in our communities. 

WAO will host its official World Allergy Week 2022 webinar on Thursday 9 June, beginning at 8:00 am US Eastern Daylight Time. (Click here to search for your corresponding time zone.) Duration: approximately 90 minutes - Click here to register. 

The connection between asthma and allergic airway diseases is important, and it is known that asthma and allergies in the upper airways frequently co-exist. This can aggravate breathing difficulty, wheezing, cough, and other respiratory problems. Treating asthma and upper airway allergies together helps improve both problems. Integrated diagnostic and therapeutic approaches become even more important with severe and difficult-to-control disease. Fortunately, there are treatment options and patient education tools that can help to address such challenges.

The 2nd Australian Autoinflammatory Disease Symposium is being hosted by the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) on Monday 29 August 2022, prior to the ASCIA 2022 Conference in Melbourne.

People with egg allergy may be safely vaccinated with the influenza (flu) vaccine. 

Information about Influenza vaccination and egg allergy is available on the ASCIA website https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-allergy/egg-allergy-flu-vaccine 

People with mammalian meat allergy may also be safely vaccinated with the influenza (flu) vaccine.

For people with alpha gal sensitisation or mammalian meat allergy or a history of tick anaphylaxis, VAXIGRIP TETRA and AFLURIA QUAD appear to be the safest options, or FLUAD QUAD for people over 65 years, as they do not appear to contain any mammalian products.. 

FLUCELVAX is made in canine kidney and therefore is likely contra-indicated in people with alpha gal sensitisation or mammalian meat allergy.

The ASCIA Immunodeficiency Strategy for Australia and New Zealand aims to enhance the important work of organisations that support  people with primary immunodeficiencies and their carers, and enable key issues to be addressed, including early diagnosis and improved access to appropriate treatments.

ASCIA commends the outstanding work in advocacy and patient support provided by the following organisations:

IDFA (Immune Deficiencies Foundation Australia) www.idfa.org.au 

IDFA 2022214.33 KB

IDFNZ (Immune Deficiencies Foundation New Zealand) https://idfnz.org.nz/

IDFNZ Update 2022223.12 KB

IDFNZ printed information order form123.96 KB

AusPIPS (Australian Primary Immunodeficiency Patient Support) www.auspips.org.au 

AusPIPS Update 202279.85 KB

HAE (Hereditary Angioedema) Australasia www.haeaustralasia.org.au 

HAE Australasia 20221.58 MB

Jorveza® (budesonide) is an orally disintegrating tablet for the treatment of eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) in adults, that was listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) on 1 May 2022.

Jorveza represents the first TGA approved and PBS subsidised medication for adults with this chronic and progressive, immune-mediated, oesophageal disease. The efficacy of Jorveza is supported by data from a phase III, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group trial. The primary endpoint – clinicohistologic remission after six weeks – was met in 57.6% of patients receiving Jorveza (1mg twice daily; BID) versus 0% in the placebo group (p < 0.0001). At week 6 histologic remission was achieved in 93% of patients administered Jorveza, versus 0% in the placebo group (p < 0.0001). After 12 weeks, clinicohistologic remission was achieved in 84.7% of patients administered Jorveza. Jorveza was well-tolerated, and the most common adverse event reported was mild to moderate local candidiasis. No clinically relevant reduction in morning cortisol levels was documented.

Long-term maintenance treatment is recommended, as patients who discontinue treatment may experience a rapid relapse once remission is achieved. Jorveza is available in 1.0 mg tablets for inducing remission and 0.5/1.0 mg tablets for maintaining remission.

Copies of the product information for Jorveza® can be requested by calling Dr Falk Pharma Australia Pty Ltd on 1800 DRFALK (1800 373 255). 

Information about EoE is available on the ASCIA website www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-other-adverse-reactions

Hereditary Angioedema, commonly known as HAE, has been classified as a complement deficiency, which is a type of primary immunodeficiency, and occurs in around one in 50,000 people.  People with HAE have unpredictable, recurrent and rapid swellings, which may involve the skin, gut and airway. HAE attacks interfere with daily life and can be life threatening.

HAE Day 2022 aims to increase awareness of HAE in health professionals and the community. A media release for HAE Day 2022 is available here. 

HAE Day 2022 Media Release210.21 KB

The patient organisation for HAE in Australia and New Zealand is HAE Australasia, and we commend them on their outstanding work in advocacy and patient support.

Our intention is that the ASCIA Immunodeficiency Strategy for Australia and New Zealand supports the important work of HAE Australasia and other patient support organisations and enables key issues to be addressed, including early diagnosis of HAE and access to appropriate treatments.

The ASCIA Immunodeficiency Strategy addresses the need for:

• Improved education for health professionals to recognise early warning signs of HAE and other primary immunodeficiencies;
• Improved access to paediatric and adult clinical immunology/allergy specialists;
• Equitable access to funded treatments in rural, remote and regional centres, as well as urban areas.

The ASCIA Immunodeficiency Strategy for Australia and New Zealand was launched on 29 April 2022. This launch has resulted in substantial media coverage, particularly regarding newborn screening for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency, commonly known as SCID. The purpose of the Strategy is to improve the health and wellbeing of people living with primary immunodeficiencies, (also known as inborn errors of immunity), and minimise the burden on individuals, carers, health services and the community.

The Strategy is focused on primary immunodeficiencies, a diverse group of more than 400 potentially serious, chronic illnesses due to inherited absence or dysregulation of parts of the immune system, that can lead to reduced quality of life and life expectancy.

Paxlovid® (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir tablets) is listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 May 2022, as a treatment for COVID-19. Adults can be prescribed PBS-subsidised Paxlovid® by their doctor or nurse practitioner if they have mild to moderate COVID-19 confirmed by a PCR or medically verified RAT, can start treatment within five days of symptom onset, and:  

• they are 65 years of age or older, with two other risk factors for severe disease (as increasing age is a risk factor, patients who are 75 years of age of older only need to have one other risk factor); or they identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin, and are 50 years of age or older with two other risk factors for severe disease, or
• they are moderately to severely immunocompromised.

Paxlovid® is not recommended for use in pregnant or breastfeeding women and in women of childbearing potential who are not using contraception. TGA product information on Paxlovid® is available here.

To prioritise Paxlovid® for patients at highest risk of developing severe COVID-19, prescribers should only prescribe Paxlovid®  in accordance with the PBS eligibility criteria, and are strongly discouraged from providing it via private prescription.

For more information read the PBS factsheet here.