FARE Teams Up with Genentech and Novartis to Launch Food Allergy Educational Initiative

McLEAN, Va – Feb. 19, 2025 – FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), a leading charity that supports those impacted by food allergies through advocacy, research, and education, with a unifying commitment to health equity, today announced a partnership with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, and Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation to launch an educational initiative with the intent of increasing public understanding of food allergies and the physical and emotional impact it can have on families. 

In order to better understand the daily realities of those impacted by food allergies, 500 U.S. parents and guardians of children with food allergies were recently surveyed* about the challenges they face in helping manage their child’s condition, including concerns about safety, social inclusion, and feeling understood by others. These results underpin the need for broader awareness, showing that 82 percent of caregivers agree that there is not enough awareness about food allergies in their communities.

"There is a fundamental misunderstanding of the impact of food allergy as a disease, fueled by a lack of public awareness that FARE is dedicated to addressing, ultimately shifting the trajectory of this growing, silent public health crisis,” said Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, CEO of FARE. “To that end, we are pleased to announce our relationship with Genentech and Novartis as part of a broad educational initiative to advance our mission to support patients along their journey and achieve the increased awareness our community urgently needs—because patients cannot wait.”

Food allergy prevalence has been on the rise for the past 20 years and is a disease impacting 33 million children and adults nationwide.

“While food allergies are common, there remains a significant lack of public awareness and understanding of the seriousness, unpredictability, and emotional toll of accidental exposures,” said Ashley Magargee, Genentech’s Chief Executive Officer. “FARE is a trailblazer in the food allergy community, and we are excited to partner with them on a broad public awareness initiative with the goal of creating a future where people with food allergies are better understood, protected, and empowered.” 

Additional key findings from the survey revealed that:

• More than 50% of caregivers lack high levels of confidence in others’ ability to support their child’s management of food allergies through avoidance 
• 74% of caregivers shared that their child had skipped an activity (i.e. birthday parties or sleepovers) out of concern of an accidental exposure
• 58% of caregivers feel that their child’s food allergies have been dismissed by others, such as family members, restaurants, or their child’s school/daycare

“It is clear the community still has significant unmet needs when it comes to relieving some of the emotional and physical challenges of this disease,” said Reshema Kemps-Polanco, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Novartis US. “This is a pivotal moment for the community as we work to increase awareness and offer hope to those living with food allergies, but there is still so much more we can achieve together.”

To learn more about food allergies or access FARE resources, please visit  foodallergy.org.

*Editor’s Note: The survey was conducted online in the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of Genentech and Novartis, among 500 U.S. adults, ages 18+, who are parents or guardians of children aged 17 or younger with one or more listed food allergies. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who agreed to participate in online surveys. The survey was fielded November 9 through November 18, 2023.