Latest News
Air Canada Told:
Offer Nut-free Zones
The Canadian Transportation Agency has ordered Air Canada to create a formal policy that includes nut- or peanut-free “buffer zones” on its airplanes to accommodate passengers with these serious food allergies. In its ruling, released January 7, the agency also declared peanut and tree nut allergies a “disability” in the context of air travel.
The buffer zone would be required when a passenger gives the airline advance notice of a nut allergy. The CTA says Air Canada could not serve nuts or peanuts in that area, and that a flight crew member would need to advise other passengers in the “zone” rows not to consume foods that contain peanuts or tree nuts.
The ruling comes as a result of formal complaints to the CTA from Sophia Huyer, a frequent flier from Toronto, and Rhonda Nugent .... Read more.
What the CTA Said
To determine if there is an “obstacle to mobility for disabled persons,” the transportation agency first determines if there is a disability. In 2002, the CTA examined seven allergy complaints against Air Canada (five involved allergies to cats in the cabin, the other two were scent-related). The agency ruled that allergies per se are not always disability, but might be found such on a case-by-case basis. Read more.
Posted: Jan. 12/10
11th Top Allergen,
Alcohol Label Changes
Mustard has taken its place among the top foods of concern for allergies in Canada. Health Canada recently announced that it is adding the seed on its list of “priority allergens”, which also includes peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy, wheat and sulphites.
In addition to mustard becoming the eleventh priority allergen, a consultation process has led the department to remove allergy exemptions for fining agents and wax coatings. Originally, a label on standardized alcohol (such as beer, wine, rum, gin and whiskey) was not going to have to state whether fining agents used in production were derived from eggs, milk or fish, three top allergens. Since the review, all alcoholic beverages will have to declare priority allergens .... Read more.
Posted: Dec. 11/09
Transport Agency Weighs
Pets On Plane Issue
During special parliamentary hearings into the pet policies of Canada's main airlines, a senior representative of the Canadian Transportation Agency said the agency will soon decide whether allowing small dogs and cats to travel presents an obstacle to travel for those with severe allergies. The CTA is currently gathering evidence from four passengers who've lodged formal complaints, Air Canada and WestJet, as well as allergy experts. The agency is to rule whether severe allergies and asthm represent a "disability" in this context. For more on this, see the Winter 2010 issue of Allergic Living.
Posted: Dec. 11/09
H1N1 Vaccine Reaction Study
A group of allergists in Quebec are studying the tolerance of the H1N1 vaccine in egg-allergic individuals. The CMAJ website reports that in a trial of 952 people, none had an anaphylactic reaction to the shot. Two had skin reactions treated with Benadryl.
Dr. Marie-Noël Primeau of the Montreal Children’s Hospital told Allergic Living that almost 1,500 egg-allergic individuals have now been vaccinated in Quebec, and none has experienced an anaphylactic reaction. All patients were vaccinated under physician supervision in one or two doses, depending on risk. Dr. Antony Ham Pong, an allergist based in Ottawa, has been vaccinating allergic patients in his clinic (90 per cent egg-allergic, some with other concerns .... Read more.
Posted: Dec. 11/09
Chapman's Fire
The main plant of Chapman's Ice Cream was destroyed by fire on Sept. 4. Chapman's is well-known in Canada for its peanut-free and gluten-free ice creams and other frozen treats. Owners David and Penny Chapman are vowing to rebuild, and in the meantime still have inventory on hand. Show them your support; if your local store is out of a certain Chapman's flavour, try one of their others. See articles, discussion here.
Posted: Sept. 13/09
Metal Bottle Maker Reveals BPA
The Canwest News Service reports that older SIGG aluminum water bottles, which became popular worldwide with the avoidance of BPA in plastics, do contain trace amounts of bisphenol A. While the CEO says tests showed no actual leaching from the bottles sold before August 2008, consumers are expressing concerns – and dismay. Read more
Posted: August 27/09
Gluten-free Bun Maker
Tired of hunting for gluten-free or nut-free buns of varying sizes? The Canadian Celiac Association has developed a nifty solution: a bun baking form of durable silicone, that’s made in Canada. Use a favourite bread recipe to make two sub buns, two hamburger or kaiser size and two hot dog buns. To order a baking form, call 1-800-363-7296 or 905-507-6208. Orders at Celiac.ca coming soon.
Posted: August 27/09
Public Wrong on Food Allergies
The general public has some big misunderstanding about food allergies, according to a study that surveyed 2,000 Americans. Dr. Ruchi Gupta, lead author on the study from Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, is concerned about the public’s belief of how food allergies can be treated: almost half thought there was a cure, while two-thirds thought you could take a daily medicine to prevent reactions.
"For a child with food allergy, if their teacher, or camp counselor, says, 'I know what a food allergy is,' yet they think the child took their preventative medicine and they can eat it without worry, that could cause significant reactions or take the child’s life," she said in an interview with Allergic Living magazine. Read more
Posted: August 27/09
Army Fined in Boy’s Death
The Australian Defense Army is being fined after a peanut-allergic boy died at cadet camp in 2007 when he ate beef satay from his army ration pack.
The 13-year-old’s parents had advised the camp of their son’s peanut allergy.
The judge in the case also recommended that a coroner examine the role the teenager’s school played in the death, as it was running the cadet camp. Read more.
Forum: Discuss with other parents
Posted: July 2/09
Obama Signs Tobacco Law
From the L.A. Times: WASHINGTON – Citing his own experience as a teenage smoker, President Obama on Monday predicted that a new law giving the Food and Drug Administration sweeping power to regulate tobacco will help young people avoid the smoking habit he has struggled with for years.The measure, which Obama signed into law Monday, will ban candy-, fruit- and spice-flavored cigarettes and prohibit use of tobacco-product logos and brand names in sponsoring athletic and entertainment events.The law also requires that tobacco companies fully disclose ingredients and additives, stop targeting youth with their marketing campaigns .... more here.
Posted: June 23/09
Air Canada Lets Pets Back in the Cabin
Air Canada announced on June 17 that it will allow passengers to bring cats or small dogs in the cabin on Air Canada flights beginning July 1.
Allergic Living expresses serious misgivings about the change in policy. The move overturns a policy restricting pets in the cabin that was brought into effect in 2006, following lobbying by the CSACI to protect those with serious pet allergies and asthma.
"I think the original [2006] decision was a good decision for people suffering from pet allergies," Richard Warrington, president of the CSACI, told The Globe and Mail. "I suppose [the announcement] means people who have allergies to cats and dogs are not going to have such a comfortable flight." Air Canada's press release and other news stories are shown on the Forum here.
Posted: June 18/09
Like Them or Not, I Must Eat Peanuts
In the The Washington Post, teenager John Villa discusses what it has been like to outgrow peanut allergies. He writes: "It had happened -- I'd outgrown my allergy. On our way home [from the hospital], my mom and I stopped at a deli to get a salami sandwich. The man at the counter offered me a cookie that had broken and couldn't be sold. I looked at my mom and said, 'Can I have it?' Mom looked at me and said, 'You can have anything you want.'
The weird thing is, before I'd left the hospital, a doctor had warned me that I had to eat peanuts regularly in order to keep the allergy from coming back. I thought to myself, that's no big deal. Read more
Posted: June 15/09
Travel and Allergies
New findings prove what many people know from their own lives: that having food allergies significantly affects the way a family vacations.
More than 400 American families with a food-allergic member were surveyed at conferences sponsored by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network in 2008. Of those who take vacations, 68 per cent limited the type of destination and 90 per cent said they don’t leave the United States. Two-thirds avoid taking airplanes.
The most common pre-travel arrangements included: stocking up on auto-injectors, packing safe food, asking for airplane accommodations, and finding out the location of the nearest hospital. – Claire Gagné
Posted: June 12/09
Bathing Eczema Away
A bit of bleach may be all that’s needed to clear up your child’s eczema, according to new research from the Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
All it took was half a cup of bleach in a tub of water twice a week to see dramatic improvement. The children taking the bleach baths saw a 24 per cent reduction in the amount of eczema on the body, compared to a 3 per cent reduction among those taking regular baths. Read more
Posted: June 12/09
Website for Youth
Canadian teens with food allergies now have a place to go for information and resources designed especially for them. Whyriskit.ca is a website operated by Anaphylaxis Canada and developed with the help of 15 food-allergic teens and young adults.
The information on the site covers many issues teens and young adults face: dining out; attending high school, college or university; partying; traveling and working. There are also monthly podcasts and a registry where you can share a story of an allergic reaction.
Posted: June 12/09
Allergists, MDs Object to B.C. Plans
Proposed changes to the rules governing naturopaths in British Columbia have brought strong objections from Canada’s allergists, the B.C. Medical Association and allergy patient groups.
The changes would include expanding the scope of practice for naturopathic doctors in the area of allergy, allowing them to perform food challenge tests and offer desensitization treatments. The BCMA urged the government to continue to restrict such activities, noting in particular the dangers of challenge tests “unless done by a trained and experienced practitioner in controlled circumstances.” Read more
Airlines Respond to Campaign
In January, Allergic Living magazine launched a write-in campaign to the chief executives of Canada’s two main airlines – Air Canada and WestJet. Over 1,000 individuals took part, personalizing Allergic Living’s form letter that urged the two airlines to develop clear, consistent policies on serious food allergies, including preventative accommodations.
At the end of February, the airlines gave their initial replies. Robert Palmer, WestJet’s public relations manager, said from Calgary: "We’re in discussions here about the feasibility of the various suggestions [from the campaign]. I’m not going to tell you which way we’re leaning because it would be wrong to set expectations." There have been two meetings at which representatives of several WestJet departments were given tasks to research about allergy measures: from regulations to legalities to computer systems and communications issues. Read more
Northwest Brings Back Peanuts
As Canadian airlines study allergy accommodations, flying got considerably less allergy-friendly on Northwest Airlines. For years, the carrier served pretzels. But in February, a few months after merging with Delta Air Lines, which is based in the peanut-producing state of Georgia, Northwest Airlines began handing out peanut packets again.
It also announced that any meal or snack could now also contain peanut or tree nut traces. These moves resulted in protests to the Minnesota-based carrier. The Anaphylaxis and Food Allergy Association of Minnesota collected hundreds of e-mails objecting to the snack and meal changes and met representatives of the airline. Northwest is now reviewing the allergy issues AFAA has brought forward.
Hospital Admissions Up
More kids have food allergies today than 10 years ago, and a large number are landing in hospital because of them, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. Three million U.S. children, or 4 per cent, now have food allergies, an 18 per cent jump in a decade.
The condition affects boys and girls equally, with those under the age of 5 considerably more likely to have food allergies than older children, say the researchers, who collected data on 9,500 kids.
In addition to more children having allergies, more are being admitted to hospital because of them. Read more
Infants and Headache Pills
A study of more than 200,000 children around the world has left many parents of babies skittish about using fever-reducing drugs, such as Tempra and Tylenol. The study, released in late September, concludes that infants given acetaminophen may be at risk for developing asthma later in childhood.
However, a leading Canadian pediatric allergist says acetaminophen – which is the active ingredient in these popular fever-reducing drugs – is safe for children if used properly. “There’s no proof that acetaminophen causes asthma,” says Dr. Allan Becker, a researcher with the Manitoba Institute of Child Health. Even the study authors say acetaminophen remains the medicine of choice for babies with high fevers. But they stress the importance of following the guideline that its use be limited to those cases, and not used casually.
The study reported that children who had been given acetaminophen once a year or more in their first year of life showed a 46 per cent higher risk of asthma symptoms by 6 or 7 years of age compared to those who hadn’t had the drug. Read More
Posted: January 7/09
Asthma: The Cold Sleuths
University of Calgary scientists probing the common cold and its effect on asthma have made some important discoveries. Recent research led by David Proud, a professor in the faculty of medicine, is the first to look at how every single gene in our bodies responds when infected with a cold virus, the most common of which is rhinovirus.
Proud was able to determine that it is how our immune systems respond to the virus that causes inflammatory symptoms, not the virus itself. He has also investigated an antiviral protein called viperin .... Read More
Posted: January 4/09
Ottawa Backs Label Legislation
Long-awaited legislation that requires manufacturers to clearly list any of 10 priority allergens on food packages will soon be a reality. “This clearly affects literally millions of Canadians in one way or another,” Health Minister Tony Clement said in an interview with Allergic Living. “Either people suffering from allergies or celiac disease, or parents who are trying to do the best for their kids who have these kinds of issues.”
The new labeling requirements were announced in July by Clement, shortly after a campaign in which almost 4,000 people e-mailed a letter, posted at Allergicliving.com, to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The letter urged the government to champion the proposed new rules, noting their importance in the lives of millions of Canadians, and reminding that they had been ready but stalled since 2006.
While Clement didn’t expressly comment on the letter campaign, he did take the time in his address to “thank the moms and dads who have been pushing for this improvement.”
When the law takes effect, companies will be required to list priority allergens in plain language on packaging, and the components of ingredients will have to be specified if they are priority allergens (tree nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, eggs, milk, soybeans, crustaceans, shellfish, fish, wheat and gluten sources. Sulphites will need to be listed when more than 10 parts per million of a product.
While it could be up to 18 months before the regulations are in place .... Read More
Posted: July 2008
Counting Canada’s Food Allergic
Food allergies are clearly on the rise, but in Canada, there is currently no data to say exactly how many people are affected. Now a study supported by Health Canada seeks to change that. The study, called SCAAALAR (Surveying Canadians to Assess the Prevalence of Common Food Allergies and Attitudes towards Food Labelling and Risk), is being led by researchers from the AllerGen research network.
Dr. Ann Clarke from the McGill University Health Centre and Susan Elliott, a professor at McMaster University, will ask 9,000 Canadians if they are affected by peanut, tree nut, shellfish and sesame allergies. They hope to have results in late 2009.
The study will also assess food labeling policies, including whether people understand allergen warnings on food packages. Health Canada says it will use the results of the study to determine the resources to allocate to the prevention and management of allergic diseases, and for further changes to the listing of priority allergens on labels.
Posted: July 2008
WestJet Scraps Nuts
There’s good news this summer for the traveling nut allergic. WestJet has stopped selling cashews on its flights and is not offering any peanut or nut products aboard its aircraft. “This has been a tremendous move on the part of WestJet,” says Yvonne Rousseau of the Allergy/Asthma Information Association in British Columbia, who had discussions with the airline over its food allergy policy.
WestJet, however, remains cautious in what it tells passengers. “It should be noted that we cannot confirm all of our snacks are free of trace amounts of peanut or nut products,” a WestJet spokesperson told Allergic Living. Read More
Posted June 4/08
Bullying Case Grabs Attention
An incident of food allergy bullying in the United States this spring is raising awareness of both the possibility for such behaviour among students – and the potentially serious consequences.
In Lexington, Kentucky, a girl in the eighth grade was arrested on felony charges in April after she put peanut butter cookie crumbs in an allergic classmate’s lunch box. (The allergic student did not eat the contaminated lunch, and did not suffer a reaction.) While clearly not the first time an allergic person has been threatened with their allergen, cases usually don’t escalate to this level, says Anne Muñoz-Furlong .... Read More
Posted: June 4/08
Blood Test Close for Anaphylaxis
Allergists are hopeful, but cautious, after a new Toronto-led study suggests we may soon have a test to predict who among the allergic is at most risk for a serious reaction, known as anaphylaxis.
Published in the New England Journal of Medicine in January, the study showed levels in the blood of a chemical called platelet-activating factor (PAF) along with levels of the enzyme that destroys PAF, have a relationship with the seriousness of symptoms during a reaction.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Peter Vadas, director of allergy and clinical immunology at St. Michael’s Hospital, explains that in anaphylaxis is a “cast of many characters”: PAF is a “bad guy,” who brings on life-threatening symptoms like dropping blood pressure and a swelling airway, while PAF acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) is the “good guy,” who stops PAF from setting off mayhem.
The researchers on his team found in blood tests on 41 patients that PAF levels usually went up significantly with increasing severity of anaphylaxis, and PAF-AH levels went down with increasing levels of severity of anaphylaxis. Vadas describes it as a “yin yang” relationship. “With confirmation of these results, I think we’re going to have a diagnostic test that will help us to stratify the risk of having life-threatening or severe anaphylaxis,” Vadas says. Read more
Posted: April 4/08
Adkins Puts Allergies on the Chart
While he came in second in The Celebrity Apprentice reality-TV contest, singer Trace Adkins certainly came first in viewers' hearts – and made FAAN a favourite through his efforts.
"I wanted to win the thing, sure," Adkins told Country Music Television after Donald Trump proclaimed British TV personality Piers Morgan the series' winner. "Any time I enter into any competition – it goes back to when I was playing football – I always want to win." But Adkins is proud of what he achieved: "I raised a lot of awareness for the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network," the charity he was backing in the contest. "A lot more people are aware of it now," he said in the TV interview.
There's no doubt about that: two weeks' worth of proceeds from iTunes' sales of his single "You're Gonna Miss This" were donated to FAAN, and the song charted at Number One with all the attention given to Adkins and the "Apprentice" finale.
The singer's daughter Brianna, 6, is allergic to milk, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts. Now the world's most famous "allergy dad," Adkins is set to reprise his role as honorary chair of FAAN's Walk for Food Allergy.
Posted: April 4/08
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