Food Allergy Advocates Storm Capitol Hill Urging Support for Landmark Food Allergy Legislation, H.R. 2117

World’s leading food allergy organization to hold inaugural Advocacy Day, 100+ meetings with members of Congress scheduled for this week

McLEAN, Va. (March 3, 2020) — Today, FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), the world’s leading food allergy research, advocacy and education organization, shared details of the organization’s inaugural Advocacy Day to Fight Food Allergies in Washington, D.C. Advocates from across the country will be on Capitol Hill this week for meetings with members of Congress, urging them to support and pass the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education & Research (FASTER) Act (H.R. 2117).

This critical legislation, introduced by Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), would require the federal government to gather nationwide data on the incidence and growth rates of different types of food allergies and update allergen labeling laws to include sesame. According to a recent JAMA Network Open study, more than 1.5 million Americans are allergic to sesame. Despite the prevalence of this allergen in food, it is not currently regulated by the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), the primary federal law overseeing how allergens are displayed on packaged foods. If passed, the FASTER Act would go a long way to improving the daily life for those with sesame as well as other allergies.

“The meetings taking place on Capitol Hill this week are of the utmost importance to the 32 million Americans living with potentially life-threatening food allergies and the 1.5 million with allergies to sesame,” said Lisa Gable, chief executive officer of FARE. “This is a critical opportunity to engage policymakers and communicate the importance of this growing epidemic. We are extremely grateful for those suffering from food allergies who have come all the way to Washington to share their stories with our elected officials and the need to pass the FASTER Act, H.R. 2117.”

Food allergies have reached epidemic proportions. Diagnoses of anaphylaxis to food, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, have risen by 377 percent in the U.S. since 2007 and every three minutes someone is sent to the emergency room with a food allergy reaction. FARE is focused on bringing attention to this issue and collaborating across industries to advance food allergy research.

FARE looks forward to continuing its work with policymakers, advocates and the greater food allergy community to pass the FASTER Act and to work toward accelerating the development of new therapies, and ultimately, finding a cure.