Information updates

There are several types of penicillin antibiotics available, which are important for treating bacterial infections.

Many people are told that they have a penicillin allergy, or think that they have penicillin allergy, and are ‘labelled’ as having a penicillin allergy in their medical records. However, studies have shown that up to nine in ten of these people do not have a true penicillin allergy. Therefore, it is important to find out if you have a true penicillin allergy, so that you can receive the best treatment when you have a bacterial infection.

To answer the most frequently asked questions (FAQ) about penicillin allergy,  ASCIA Penicillin Allergy FAQ has been developed and is available at :

www.allergy.org.au/patients/drug-allergy/penicillin

Being told that you have a penicillin allergy or thinking that you have a penicillin allergy when you do not have true penicillin allergy can mean that alternative antibiotics need to be used. These can result in longer treatment times, increased risk of side effects and higher healthcare costs.

If you have been labelled with a penicillin allergy, talk to your healthcare provider about being tested to find out if you have a true allergy. This information can help ensure that you receive the most effective and efficient treatment of bacterial infections.

The ASCIA Guide for Milk Substitutes in Cow’s Milk Allergy (CMA) has been updated in in April 2023 to include new rice protein based formula, and is available open access on the ASCIA website www.allergy.org.au/hp/papers/guide-for-milk-substitutes-cows-milk-allergy  

There are now two brands of rice protein based formula available in Australia:

• Alula^® Gold Allergy (Sanulac)
• Novalac^® Allergy (Aspen Australia)

Whilst there are advantages in having multiple brands of rice protein based formula available, the updated ASCIA Guide includes statements on page 2 regarding:

• Product specific hypo-allergenicity and growth studies.
• Limited data on the use of rice protein based formula in non-IgE mediated food allergy.

Breastfeeding is recommended for the many benefits it brings to both the mother and child. If breastfeeding is not possible, the ASCIA Guide for Milk Substitutes in CMA can:

• Assist health professionals in recommending substitute milks when an infant has CMA. 
• Provide information about safe, nutritionally equivalent alternatives if a particular specialised formula is not available due to supply issues.

Exclusion of cow’s milk from a breastfeeding mother’s diet is not necessarily required in CMA and should be discussed with a specialist. If undertaken, cow’s milk exclusion should be supervised by a dietitian. 

Nucala® (mepolizumab) is now subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 April 2023 as an add-on treatment for adult patients (18 years and above) with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) that is severe, eosinophilic and recurrent post-surgery.

Nucala is the first biologic treatment to be PBS listed for the treatment of severe CRSwNP, which provides subsidised access to a new treatment option for people with this condition.

To read the GSK media release go here 

To access the ASCIA submission supporting the PBS listing of CRSwNP  go here

To view the Health Minister's announcement of the funding for Nucala for nasal polyps go here 

Thank you to the ASCIA CRSwNP working party for developing the ASCIA CRSwNP Position Paper which provides important details about the management of CRSwNP. This Position Paper was developed in conjunction with the Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery (ASOHNS). The working party members are A/Prof Raewyn Campbell, Prof Richard Harvey, Prof Connie Katelaris AM (Chair), Prof Michaela Lucas, Dr Kathryn Patchett, A/Prof Janet Rimmer and Prof Ray Sacks.

ASCIA supports the PBS listing of Nucala for the following reasons::

• The advent of effective, targeted biologic therapies such as Nucala® (mepolizumab), for the management on nasal polyps in CRS, with very acceptable safety profiles, is a welcome addition to current management options. The PBS listing of Nucala® (mepolizumab) ensures equitable access to Australians with nasal polyps in CRS.
• Studies have shown statistically significant reduction in nasal polyps after treatment with Nucala® (mepolizumab) dosing in most patients, and a decreased number of patients requiring surgery. Therefore, the PBS listing of Nucala® (mepolizumab) for treatment of patients with nasal polyps in CRS should make a significant difference to the health outcomes for patients and health-economic benefits for the health system, by decreasing the need for surgery and reducing the use of steroids.
• CRSwNP has a significant impact on quality of life, especially when atopic diseases, asthma or other comorbidities are present. Therefore, the PBS listing of Nucala® (mepolizumab) for nasal Polyps in CRS should also have indirect health-economic benefits by improving the health related quality of life for patients, reducing absenteeism and increasing productivity.

A series of consultation meetings are being held for the National Allergy Council Shared Care project in May and June 2023. This project aims to improve access to quality healthcare for people with allergies, particularly in regional, rural and remote areas. ASCIA’s involvement in the project includes education and training of health professionals.

To register for a consultation meeting being held in May and June 2023 go here.

To subscribe to communications about this project go to Shared care for allergy bulletin.

Thank you to our generous supporters, who have enabled the Allergy and Immunology Foundation of Australasia (AIFA) to offer eight research grants to ASCIA members in 2023. 

To donate to allergy and immunology research go to www.allergyimmunology.org.au/donate

The 2023 AIFA grant round is now open and expressions of interest are due by 5 May 2023.

Grants to be awarded in September 2023 are as follows:

• $20,000  Professor Ann Kupa AIFA Food Allergy Research Grant 
• $15,000  DBV Technologies AIFA Food Allergy Research Grant 
• $15,000 CSL Behring AIFA PID Clinical Research Grant 
• $15,000 CSL Behring AIFA HAE Clinical Research Grant 
• $40,000 (4 x $10,000) AIFA Research Grants 

The four grants of $10,000 are to get new research projects off the ground. They are available to Early Career Researchers which include:

• Early career scientist researchers
• Emerging clinician researchers (such as advanced trainees)
• Other health professionals (dietitians, nurses, pharmacists)

Grants are awarded as part of a competitive research grant program. 

To find out how to submit an expression of interest for an AIFA grant in 2023 read more here

AIFA ensures that 100% of donations and sponsorship goes directly to fund grants for allergy and immunology research. Read more here

The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) is hosting the ASCIA Food Allergy and Adverse Food Reactions Course in Sydney on 23-24 November 2024.

Information including how to register is available at https://www.allergy.org.au/members/dietitians#adn 

The course has previously been held in Melbourne (March 2023), Canberra (September 2018), Brisbane (March 2019) and Perth (September 2019).  

Due to the high demand (the Melbourne course was sold out), the course is being held in Sydney in November 2023. There are also plans to hold the course in Adelaide in early 2024 and Auckland in late 2024.

This course is presented in an interactive case study format and has been designed for dietitians with an allergy caseload or wanting to upskill in food allergy and intolerance, who work in private practice, community and hospital-based dietitians. The course can also be used as a refresher if you are returning to practice within this area.  The course is worth 24 CPD hours.  

Learning outcomes

• Appraise the complexity of diagnosis and management of IgE mediated food allergy, non-IgE mediated food allergy and various presentations of food intolerance across the lifespan,
• Recognise the importance of collaboration with other HPs in the allergy care team for optimal patient care in food allergy and intolerance.  
• Formulate appropriate and safe evidence-based nutrition care plans within the scope of practice, for patients with food allergy and food intolerance.
• Integrate reinforcement of medical management and practical skills regarding label reading, food preparation and eating away from home into patient management of food allergy, including the food service setting.
• Integrate available resources to enhance assessment, education, and nutritional intervention for patients with food allergy and food intolerance.  

Invitation for Public Submissions: An Australian Living Guideline for the Pharmacological Management of Inflammatory Arthritis: Draft for Public Consultation (Version 3.0)

Organisations and members of the public with an interest in the pharmacological management of inflammatory arthritis are invited to submit their comments and suggestions on Version 3.0 of the draft guideline to help inform and contribute to its development.

The draft guideline can be viewed at:

https://app.magicapp.org/#/guideline/LqRV3n (a pdf of the guideline may also be accessed HERE)

Submissions should be made via: 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Inflammatory_Arthritis_Living_Guideline_Feedback_Survey_Version_3

Period of Public Consultation:  Tuesday, 14 March to Sunday, 30 April 2023.

About the Guideline:

An Australian Living Guideline for the Pharmacological Management of Inflammatory Arthritis seeks to present the best available, current scientific evidence to assist decision making in the pharmacological management of the most common forms of inflammatory arthritis (IA), namely rheumatoid arthritis (RA), axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

The guideline is being produced by the Australia and New Zealand Musculoskeletal (ANZMUSC) Clinical Trials Network, the Australian Rheumatology Association (ARA) and Cochrane Musculoskeletal. From 2019 to 2022 guideline development was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health through the Value in Prescribing (VIP) bDMARDs Program Grant, awarded to the Targeted Therapies Alliance led by NPS MedicineWise. Current support is being provided by the NHMRC Australia and New Zealand Musculoskeletal (ANZMUSC) Clinical Trials Network Centre of Research Excellence (2023-27), Cochrane Musculoskeletal and the Victorian Government via the Australian Living Evidence Consortium.

Versions 1.0 and 2.0 of this living guideline were approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) on 7 July 2021 and 5 August 2022, respectively. Approval is now being sought for 'Version 3.0' of the guideline under Section 14A of the National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992. The approval process requires a public consultation period (legislated minimum of 30 days) to allow relevant authorities and stakeholders the opportunity to provide feedback about the draft guideline, thereby contributing to its development.

'Version 3.0'of this living guideline comprises an additional three recommendations relating to:

· Subcutaneous or intramuscular methotrexate (MTX) versus oral MTX for people with rheumatoid arthritis (refer Section 6)

· Choice of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) in people with rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded to tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors (refer Section 7)

· Short-term bridging glucocorticoid therapy as an adjunct to DMARD therapy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (refer Section 11.3)

As a living guideline, further recommendations relating to topics and questions identified as having highest clinical relevance to medical practitioners who treat IA will continue to be added and existing recommendations updated.

Further information can be viewed at:

· Technical Report

· Dissemination Plan

ASCIA has planned the following events, to coincide with World Primary Immunodeficiency (PID) Week (22-29 April 2023) and the International Day of Immunology (29 April 2023):

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