Information updates

29 July 2021: 

The following new ASCIA COVID-19 resource has been developed as a guide for when COVID-19 vaccination should proceed with precautions, or when COVID-19 vaccination is contraindicated, and includes COVID-19 vaccine skin testing and challenge protocols:

• New ASCIA COVID-19 Vaccination Guide for Clinical Immunology/Allergy Specialists www.allergy.org.au/hp/papers/guide-covid-19-vaccination

The following ASCIA COVID-19 resources have been updated, to be consistent with the new ASCIA COVID-19 Vaccination Guide, the latest updates from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) regarding approval of the Pfizer vaccine for 12-15 year olds and recommendations for patients with immunosuppression (see text below in itallics):

• Updated ASCIA Allergy, Immunodeficiency, Autoimmunity and COVID-19 Vaccination Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) allergy.org.au/patients/ascia-covid-19-vaccination-faq
• Updated ASCIA Guide: Allergy and COVID-19 Vaccination allergy.org.au/hp/papers/guide-allergy-and-covid-19-vaccination
• Updated ASCIA Guide: Immunodeficiency, Autoimmunity and COVID-19 Vaccination allergy.org.au/hp/papers/guide-immunodeficiency-autoimmunity-and-covid-19-vaccination
• Updated ASCIA Allergy, Immunodeficiency, Autoimmunity and COVID-19 Vaccination Position Statement allergy.org.au/hp/papers/ascia-hp-position-statement-covid-19-vaccination

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provisionally approved the use of the Pfizer BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine (COMIRNATY) in individuals 12 years and older. Previously, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was provisionally approved for use in individuals 16 years or older.

Provisional approval for use in the 12-15 years age group has been made following careful evaluation of the available data supporting safety and efficacy, including clinical studies with adolescents 12 to 15 years of age. Use in this age group was supported by the independent expert Advisory Committee on Vaccines.

Further details of the data supporting this approval and TGA's evaluation are included in the Product Information (PI)) and the Australian Public Assessment Report (AusPAR). https://www.tga.gov.au/tga-provisional-approval-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-include-12-15-years-age-group

Current recommendations for patients with immunosuppression from the Australian Rheumatology Association (ARA) https://rheumatology.org.au/ or the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) www.rheumatology.org/ may be used by clinical immunology/allergy specialists and rheumatologists to guide decisions regarding COVID-19 vaccination.

Each patient with immunosuppression requires shared decision making between patient and prescriber that is based on these recommendations and specific clinical circumstances, including disease activity, co-morbidities and risk of COVID-19 infection.

All of these resources are based on the current information regarding COVID-19 vaccines available in Australia and New Zealand, and will be updated when new information is available.

It is a pleasure to announce that the following five new ASCIA eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) resources are now available on the ASCIA website www.allergy.org.au/patients/food-other-adverse-reactions

• ASCIA Action Plan* for EoE - for emergency treatment of food impaction/food bolus obstruction (FBO) due to EoE
• ASCIA Management Plan* for EoE - to guide ongoing treatment and management of EoE
• ASCIA EoE Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - this replaces the previous ASCIA EoE information for patients, consumers and carers
• ASCIA Two Food Elimination Diet (2FED) Dietary Guide - to guide dietary modification for EoE
• ASCIA Four Food Elimination Diet (4FED) Dietary Guide - to guide dietary modification for EoE

*ASCIA Action and Management Plans for EoE are medical documents that can only be completed and signed by the patient's clinical immunology/allergy specialist or gastroenterologist and cannot be altered without their permission.

These resources have been developed by ASCIA in response to many requests over several years from ASCIA members, patients and the patient support organisation AusEE.

The development and review process has been extensive, with the ASCIA team working over several months with ASCIA EoE Working Party, ASCIA Paediatric committee and ASCIA Dietitian committee members.

It is a pleasure to announce that the ASCIA 2021 Virtual Conference Program Book has been updated on https://ascia2021.com/program.php to include:

• 73 Poster presentations - pages 13-19
• 20 Clinical Grand Rounds (CGR) presentations - pages 11-12
• 18 Sponsored sessions - page 10
• 11 AIFA research presentations - page 9
• 27 Sponsors and exhibitors - page 2
• 9 CFAR Hot publications - Food allergy research - pages 20-21

If you have not yet registered, it is not too late! https://ascia2021.com/registration.php 

Why Register?

The ASCIA 2021 Virtual Conference will provide delegates with:

• An international standard of CPD/CME with more than 60 speakers, including 12 international experts.
• Live online participation in Q&A, live chat and networking forums.
• Flexible viewing options with recordings available on the conference platform using the latest technology.
• Complimentary dinner meetings featuring Dr Norman Swan presenting on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Registration provides exceptional value, with accessible fees due to support from sponsors and exhibitors.

We look forward to your participation in the ASCIA 2021 Virtual Conference.

During World Allergy Week 2021 (13-19 June), ASCIA is proud to announce that the 2021 versions of ASCIA Action Plans and First Aid Plans for Anaphylaxis are now available at allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/ascia-action-plan-for-anaphylaxis.

To read about the updates that have been made to the plans go to allergy.org.au/about-ascia/info-updates/updated-ascia-action-plans 

In addition to the ASCIA Action Plans, new and recently updated world leading ASCIA online resources include:

• New ASCIA Treatment Plans for Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT)
  allergy.org.au/hp/ascia-plans-action-and-treatment#r9
• Updated ASCIA Record for Drug (Medication) Allergy
  allergy.org.au/about-ascia/info-updates/updated-ascia-action-plan-for-drug-medication-allergy  
• Updated ASCIA Action Plans FAQ
  allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/action-plans-for-allergic-reactions-faq

Updated ASCIA Guidelines for the Acute Management of Anaphylaxis will be available by the end of June 2021.

Updated and new ASCIA Anaphylaxis e-training courses will be available in August 2021.

There are more than 330 resources on the ASCIA website, including:

• 140 ASCIA information topics for patients, carers and consumers
  allergy.org.au/patients/information
• 20 ASCIA Action, First Aid, Management, Travel and Treatment Plans and Guides
  allergy.org.au/hp/ascia-plans-action-and-treatment
• 100 ASCIA anaphylaxis resource translations
  allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis#ta5
• 20 ASCIA e-training courses for health professionals, schools, children's education/care (CEC) and  community
  allergy.org.au/about-ascia/about-ascia-e-training
• 50 ASCIA resources for health professionals
  allergy.org.au/hp/papers

To read more go to allergy.org.au/about-ascia/website-information 

 World Allergy Week 2021 Media Release : 

World Allergy Week (13th to 19th June 2021) seeks to raise awareness of anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions), that are potentially life-threatening and require immediate attention. World leading ASCIA Action Plans and First Aid Plans for Anaphylaxis provide excellent guidance on what to do in an emergency.

During World Allergy Week 2021, ASCIA is proud to announce that the 2021 versions of ASCIA Action Plans and First Aid Plans for Anaphylaxis are now available.

ASCIA is also participating in activities during World Allergy Week 2021 hosted in conjunction with the National Allergy Strategy, Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia and the Centre for Food & Allergy Research. This includes an event at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday 17th June 2021.

Updated ASCIA Guidelines for the Acute Management of Anaphylaxis will be available by the end of June 2021.

Updated and new ASCIA Anaphylaxis e-training courses will be available in August 2021.

The ASCIA Action Plan for Drug (Medication) Allergy has been updated in June 2021 and is now available on the ASCIA website www.allergy.org.au/hp/drug-allergy/ascia-action-plan-drug-medication-allergy

The changes made to this plan are consistent with the changes made to the 2021 versions of the red ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis and the green ASCIA Action Plan for Allergic Reactions. To read more go to www.allergy.org.au/about-ascia/info-updates/updated-ascia-action-plans

The need for an ASCIA Action Plan for Drug (Medication) Allergy and ASCIA Record for Drug (Medication) Allergy was identified by the ASCIA Drug Allergy committee a few years ago and development of the first versions was completed in 2020.  There have also been requests for the plan for patients and parents of children who have medication allergies. 

For children who have an allergy to a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) such as paracetamol or ibuprofen the ASCIA Action Plan for Drug (Medication) Allergy can now be provided to their school or children’s education/care (CEC) service.

The ASCIA Action Plan for Drug (Medication) Allergy is a medical document that can only be completed by the patient's doctor and cannot be altered without their permission. This plan should be used in conjunction with the patient’s ASCIA Record for Drug (Medication) Allergy, which has also been updated in 2021.  

The ASCIA Drug Allergy Committee includes leading clinical immunology/allergy specialists from Australia and New Zealand.  The committee is Chaired by Professor Connie Katelaris AM, who took ove this role in September 2020 from Professor Michaela Lucas (current ASCIA President), who both played a significant role in the development of these documents.

Following an extensive review process by the ASCIA anaphylaxis committee, ASCIA Action Plans have been updated.  The 2021 versions of the following plans are now available at www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/ascia-action-plan-for-anaphylaxis:

• ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (RED) EpiPen^®, Anapen^® and General with QR Code versions for adults or children with medically confirmed allergies, who have been prescribed adrenaline autoinjectors. Anapen^® is expected to be available in Australia on the PBS from September 2021. 
• ASCIA Action Plan for Drug (Medication) Allergy (GREEN) for adults or children with medically confirmed drug (medication) allergies, who have not been prescribed adrenaline autoinjectors.
• ASCIA Action Plan for Allergic Reactions (GREEN) for adults or children with medically confirmed food or insect allergies, who have not been prescribed adrenaline autoinjectors. 

The main change to the 2021 ASCIA Action Plans is that the number of positioning images has increased from three to five:

• Each plan now includes images that show the recovery position and holding a young child flat, not upright.
• Wording above the images has been expanded to provide more detailed explanations.

Other changes that have been made in response to requests by several reviewers are as follows:

• The wording ‘- these are signs of anaphylaxis for insect allergy’ after ‘Abdominal pain, vomiting’ has been highlighted in bold.
• ‘Give other medications (if prescribed)’ has been changed to ‘Give antihistamine (if prescribed)’.
• In the left column the space for ‘Confirmed allergens’ has been expanded, wording has been updated in the family/emergency contacts, authorisation/consent and review sections, and the adrenaline doses have been reordered to start with the lowest dose of 150mg.

Current ASCIA Action Plans are the 2021 versions, however, the 2020 and 2018 versions are still valid for use throughout 2021. ASCIA Action Plans do not expire, and therefore the plan is still valid beyond the recommended review date, which is a guide for patients to see their doctor.

It is a pleasure to invite you to participate in the ASCIA 2021 Conference, which is being hosted as a virtual event from Wednesday 1st to Friday 3rd September 2021.

The ASCIA 2021 Conference will provide registered delegates with:

• An international standard of continuing professional development, with the latest research and issues in allergy and clinical immunology presented by more than 60 speakers, including 12 international experts.
• An interactive program that allows delegates to submit questions online during live Q&A sessions.
• Access to all sessions, which will also be available as video recordings on the ASCIA 2021 Conference platform, including concurrent programs for Nurses, Dietitians and Associate Medical Days on Friday.
• Complimentary registration for ASCIA 2021 Conference dinner meetings on Thursday 2nd September which will be held in Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
• Opportunities to submit abstracts for posters - accepted posters will be uploaded to the ASCIA 2021 Conference platform and will be published online in a citable medical journal.
• Opportunities for advanced trainees in allergy/immunology to submit abstracts for Clinical Grand Rounds (CGR) - accepted CGR abstracts will be selected for oral presentations.
• Opportunities to present in the CFAR Hot Publications - Food Allergy Research session. Submissions will be made directly to CFAR, not via the ASCIA 2021 Conference website.
• An update on research projects funded from 2015-2019 by the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA).
• Access to updates about new products in sponsored sessions and in the 3D virtual exhibition.
• Exceptional value, with discounted earlybird registration fees that we expect will encourage ASCIA members and other health professionals with an interest in allergy and clinical immunology to register. These reasonably priced fees are possible due to support from ASCIA 2021 Sponsors and Exhibitors.

To register go to https://ascia2021.com/registration.php

To view the program go to https://ascia2021.com/program.php

To submit an abstract go to https://ascia2021.com/abstracts.php

The ASCIA 2021 Conference program includes presentations by 12 international keynote speakers:

• Dr Kimberly Blumenthal (USA) 
  - IgE Mediated Drug Allergy Reactions
• Prof Wen-Hung Chung (Taiwan) 
  - T Cell Mediated Drug Reactions and Novel Technologies
• Dr Andrew Gennery (UK)
  - TAPID Collaboration from a UK Perspective
• Prof David Khan (USA)
  - Re-Labelling Drug Allergy
• Prof Mark Little (Ireland)
  - Targeting Subclinical-Immune Pathology in ANCA Vasculitis 
• Dr Rosan Meyer (UK)
  - Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) 
• Prof Antonella Muraro (Italy) 
  - Pathogenesis of Food Allergy
• Prof Elizabeth Phillips (USA)
  - Excipient Allergy
• Dr Kathleen Sullivan (USA) 
  - COVID-19 and Syndromes in Children, Rubella Associated Granuloma
• A/Prof Bernard Thong (Singapore) 
  - COVID-19 Vaccine Immediate Reactions
• A/Prof Paul Turner (UK) 
  - Anaphylaxis and Food Allergy, COVID-19 Vaccine Delayed Reactions COVID-19 in 2021 and Beyond, Food Allergy Prevention in 2021 and Beyond
• A/Prof Carina Venter (USA)
  - Food Allergy and Diet, Maternal Diet and Food Allergy Prevention in Children.

For more details about these speakers go to https://ascia2021.com/international-speakers.php  

The ASCIA 2021 Conference program also features presentations by local keynote speakers, including:

• Dr Katie Allen MP
  2021 Basten Oration: A Journey from Benchside to Bedside, and Population to Politics - Why would you do it?
• Prof Anthony Kelleher
  - Long COVID
• Prof Connie Katelaris AM
  - Climate Change and Allergy
• Dr Jennifer Koplin
  – Food Allergy Prevention - EarlyNuts Study Results
• A/Prof Philip Robinson
  - Autoimmunity and COVID-19
• Dr Charlotte Slade
  - Primary Immunodeficiency in the Adult and Elderly Population
• Prof Mimi Tang
  - Food Allergy Treatment - Peanut Allergy OIT Trial Results
• Prof Stuart Tangye
  - Immunodeficiency and COVID-19
• Prof Carola Vinuesa
  - Neuritin to Prevent Autoimmune Disease and Allergies

ASCIA works in collaboration with other medical specialists and organisations, and this is reflected in the ASCIA 2021 Conference program, which includes the following sessions:

• ASCIA-CFAR (Centre for Food and Allergy Research) Symposium on Wednesday.
• ASCIA-ANZVASC (Australia and New Zealand Vasculitis Society) Symposium on Friday.
• ASCIA Immunodeficiency Strategy for Australia and New Zealand Update on Friday.
• National Allergy Strategy Update on Friday.

We greatly appreciate the support from the ASCIA 2021 Conference sponsors and exhibitors. There will be sponsored sessions each morning and on Wednesday evening, and a 3D virtual exhibition each day.

To view options for support go to https://ascia2021.com/sponsorship-and-exhibition.php

With an outstanding program and innovative virtual format, we expect that the ASCIA 2021 Conference will provide an international standard of education and networking opportunities for ASCIA members and other health professionals with an interest in allergy and clinical immunology.

We look forward to your involvement in the ASCIA 2021 Conference.

Kind regards,

On behalf of the ASCIA 2021 Conference committee:

ASCIA Directors: 
Dr Theresa Cole (VIC), A/Prof Jane Peake (QLD), Dr Michael O'Sullivan (WA).

ASCIA Committee Chairs: 
Dr Karl Baumgart (NSW), Dr Lara Ford (NSW), Dr Katie Frith (NSW), Prof Connie Katelaris AM (NSW), Dr Kathryn Patchett (NSW),

ASCIA Associate Representatives: 
Kathy Beck (QLD), Dr Kathryn Heyworth (QLD), Dr Hannah Hu (NSW), Briony Tyquin (NSW).

Other members: 
Dr Tiffany Hughes (SA), Dr Preeti Joshi (NSW), Dr Dean Tey (VIC), Dr Brynn Wainstein (NSW), Dr Melanie Wong (NSW).

Thursday evening dinner meetings (restrictions permitting) will be coordinated by the ASCIA Council Area Representatives for each region: 
Dr Andrew Baker (NZ), Dr Elizabeth da Silva (ACT), Dr Narinder Kaur (NSW), Dr Jovanka King (SA), Dr Alberto Pinzon (QLD), Dr Stephanie Richards (VIC), A/Prof Kristina Rueter (WA).