More Than 100 Scientists, Patient Advocates and Stakeholders Convene at Food Allergy Research & Education’s Fifth Annual Research Retreat

More Than 100 Scientists, Patient Advocates and Stakeholders Convene at Food Allergy Research & Education’s Fifth Annual Research Retreat

McLEAN, Va. (April 3, 2017) – The country’s leading food allergy researchers gathered this weekend for the Fifth Annual Research Retreat sponsored by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). With 120 scientists, doctors, pharmaceutical industry leaders and government officials in attendance together with patient advocates, this is a unique event that strongly encourages continued collaboration among researchers and gives families managing life-threatening food allergies a firsthand opportunity to provide their perspectives on clinical trials. 

FARE is the world’s largest private funder of food allergy research, with a mission to improve the quality of life and health of individuals with food allergies while providing them hope through the promise of new treatments. FARE’s Research Retreat, held March 31-April 1 in McLean, has for the past several years drawn scientists at the forefront of food allergy research to discuss strategies for advancing research discoveries.

Among the participants in this year’s Research Retreat were members of FARE’s Outcomes Research Advisory Board, which includes patient representatives (parents of children with food allergies or adults with food allergies) and other stakeholders such as physicians, nurses, educators, advocates, health plan payers and pharmacy benefit managers. Members of the Advisory Board have been working to shape food allergy research initiatives by identifying their needs, preferences and priorities for research-based information or evidence.

“This was a tremendous opportunity for clinicians and scientists to learn from people who are directly impacted by food allergies. It was informative and inspirational hearing from patients and families about their hopes for a future free from life-threatening reactions,” said James R. Baker, Jr., MD, CEO and chief medical officer of FARE. “At a time when there are promising therapy approaches in the pipeline, it is vital that we give voice to the families that could one day benefit from treatments that may become available after rigorous clinical trials have ensured their safety and effectiveness.”

The Research Retreat also serves as a forum to further explore the role that the FARE Clinical Network is playing in elevating the level of patient care and accelerating therapeutic development in the U.S. The network was established in 2015 and now consists of 27 leading research and clinical care facilities.

Over the weekend, recipients of the 2015 FARE Investigator in Food Allergy Awards gave progress reports on their work; FARE recently announced it had funded another cycle of awards in the amount of $1.1 million. The three scientists who received 2017 grants previewed their future research.

For more information about food allergies and FARE’s programs, visit www.foodallergy.org.