Emory University with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and UW Health in Wisconsin Join FARE Clinical Network

FARE’s Collaborative to Advance Food Allergy Research and Care Continues to Grow; Food Allergy Medical Claims Up 75 percent in Wisconsin and 146 percent in Georgia since 2009

McLEAN, Va. (Feb. 11, 2019) – Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the largest private funder of food allergy research in the world, announced today that Emory University with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and UW Health in Wisconsin are joining the FARE Clinical Network, a food allergy research collaborative comprised of 33 leading research and clinical care facilities across the country.

Launched in 2015, the FARE Clinical Network seeks to accelerate the development of effective approaches to food allergy treatment and improve the quality of patient care for this potentially life-threatening disease affecting 32 million Americans, including one in 13 children. More than 40 percent of children with food allergies have required emergency room care or experienced a severe or life-threatening reaction. And, according to a recent FARE-supported study analyzing state-by-state data, severe food allergy reactions have climbed dramatically over the last decade, with medical claim lines with food allergy diagnoses increasing 75 percent in Wisconsin and 146 percent in Georgia since 2009. 

“Expanding the FARE Clinical Network is critical for increasing access to cutting-edge research and crucial new therapies for food allergy patients,” said Lisa Gable, CEO of FARE. “The results of our study highlight how critical it is for patients that these amazing medical centers have joined our clinical network. We are so pleased to announce our partnership with the dedicated teams at Emory/Children’s and UW Health in Wisconsin, and we look forward to strengthening our research, clinical care and awareness efforts together.”

Members of the FARE Clinical Network provide high-quality clinical and sub-specialty food allergy expertise and services, and are focused on applying new evidence-based knowledge. They are also a powerful driver of research, serving as sites for clinical trials, the development of best practices for patient care, and in some cases, a national food allergy patient registry.

“Children’s, in collaboration with research partner Emory University, launched the Food Allergy Program for the study and treatment of food allergy in Atlanta, with the goal of becoming a national leader in food allergy within the next decade,” said Brian Vickery, MD,Director, Children’s Food Allergy Program, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine, and FARE Medical Advisor, Patient Experience. “Being selected to join the FARE Clinical Network will provide key support as we grow the program, and is a tangible honor that indicates progress towards our goal. With food allergies on the rise, our participation will allow us to improve the experience of patients across Georgia and the Southeast, while also contributing to research advances.” 

“UW Health is always seeking to advance the health of our patients through service and science. Our physicians and researchers pursue this mission with a vision and vigor matched by FARE’s commitment to addressing this growing disease. Joining the FARE Clinical Network will allow our specialists to continue to provide excellent care, while contributing to breakthroughs in the treatment of food allergies,” said Anne-Marie Singh, associate professor of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health..

ABOUT CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA

As the only freestanding pediatric healthcare system in Georgia, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is the trusted leader in caring for kids. The not-for-profit organization’s mission is to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow through more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs, top healthcare professionals, and leading research and technology. Children’s is one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country, managing more than one million patient visits annually at three hospitals, Marcus Autism Center, the Center for Advanced Pediatrics and 27 neighborhood locations. Consistently ranked among the top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has impacted the lives of kids in Georgia, across the United States and around the world for more than 100 years thanks to generous support from the community. Visit www.choa.org for more information. 

ABOUT EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Emory University School of Medicine is a leading institution with the highest standards in education, biomedical research and patient care, with a commitment to recruiting and developing a diverse group of students and innovative leaders. Emory School of Medicine has more than 2,800 full- and part-time faculty, 556 medical students, 530 allied health students, 1,311 residents and fellows in 106 accredited programs, and 93 MD/PhD students in one of 48 NIH-sponsored Medical Scientist Training Programs. Medical school faculty received $456.3 million in external research funding in fiscal year 2018. The school is best known for its research and treatment in infectious disease, neurosciences, heart disease, cancer, transplantation, orthopaedics, pediatrics, renal disease, ophthalmology and geriatrics.

ABOUT UW HEALTH IN WISCONSIN

UW Health is the integrated health system of the University of Wisconsin-Madison serving more than 600,000 patients each year in the Upper Midwest and beyond with approximately 1,500 physicians and 16,500 staff at six hospitals and more than 80 outpatient sites. UW Health is governed by the UW Hospitals and Clinics Authority and partners with UW School of Medicine and Public Health to fulfill their patient care, research, education and community service missions.