By Nina Markovic
As May marks Food Allergy Awareness Month, Australia confronts a growing public health concern: the increasing prevalence of food allergies and the life-threatening risk of anaphylaxis. With some of the highest rates of food allergies globally, the nation faces an urgent need to enhance prevention, diagnosis, and community-level management.
Rising Prevalence and Alarming Statistics
Food allergies affect approximately 10% of infants, 5–10% of children, and around 2–4% of adults in Australia. Hospital admissions for anaphylaxis have more than quintupled over the past 20 years. Tragically, about 20 Australians die from anaphylaxis each year — often due to reactions involving common allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, sesame, or seafood.
Recent high-profile deaths, including that of 15-year-old Max McKenzie in Melbourne, underscore the devastating consequences of delayed recognition and inadequate response to severe allergic reactions. These tragedies are heartbreaking — and, in many cases, preventable.
The tragic death of a high school student from Northern Beaches’ Shore College in March 2024, following a suspected anaphylactic reaction to a meal at a restaurant near Sydney’s Spit Bridge, has sent shockwaves through the local community. While the coronial inquest remains ongoing, the public attention around this case stands in stark contrast to the broader global discourse, where fatal anaphylaxis cases in the UK, USA, and mainland Europe have prompted national reforms and stronger public health responses. In Australia, however, advocates argue that the voice of the allergy-aware NGO community remains too quiet. There is an urgent call for government-funded training programs for hospitality staff, alongside a push for legislative measures requiring restaurants to carry epinephrine auto-injectors and antihistamines—basic tools that could prove lifesaving in critical moments.
GPs on the Frontline: Undertrained and Under-Resourced
General Practitioners remain the first point of contact for allergy diagnosis and long-term care. Yet many GPs in Australia report limited formal training in allergy management. This education gap can delay diagnosis, undermine effective management, and result in patients being excluded from life-changing treatments or care plans.
Programs like the National Allergy Council’s Shared Care for Allergy Project aim to bridge these gaps by upskilling GPs and nurses across Australia, especially in rural and regional communities. But broader systemic change is needed — including mandatory allergy training in GP education and more consistent national referral pathways.
A mentality shift is needed in Australia
Current approaches to allergy care in Australia are not enough. With food allergies affecting more than 10% of infants and growing numbers of children and adults, the system remains focused largely on avoidance and emergency response — not long-term solutions or prevention. Despite rising prevalence, investment in cutting-edge research and integrative, root-cause strategies has lagged behind global innovation.
The Allergy Microbiome Foundation was established to help close this gap. By advancing research and raising awareness of the critical role of the microbiome in allergic disease, the foundation is advocating for a shift in how we understand, prevent, and treat allergies — from the inside out.
Immunotherapy: A Breakthrough Within Reach
The closest treatment we have to a “remission” for food allergies is oral immunotherapy (OIT), a medically supervised process that gradually desensitises individuals to their allergens. While not yet standard care in Australia, OIT has shown remarkable success internationally in reducing the risk of life-threatening reactions and improving quality of life.
Teenagers, in particular, stand to benefit. Adolescence is a high-risk period for fatal anaphylaxis due to increased independence, social exposure, and sometimes risky behaviour. OIT offers teens and their families a pathway to safety and food freedom — a life where eating no longer comes with fear.
Across numerous countries—from Singapore, France, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates to Croatia, as well as the United States, Canada, and the UK—oral immunotherapy (OIT) has been safely administered for over a decade in both private and public healthcare settings, with growing involvement from general practitioners in the UK. In the United States, insurance companies even cover the cost of OIT, recognising that desensitising individuals is more cost-effective than covering emergency department visits.
A National Call to Action
Better training for GPs, more funding for allergy services, school-based education, and access to immunotherapy must become national priorities. Lives depend on it.
As Food Allergy Awareness Month continues, this is a chance to reflect — and act. No more families should have to experience the heartbreak of losing a loved one to something so treatable. Food allergies may be invisible, but their impacts are not. It’s time for Australia to lead with compassion, evidence, and urgency.
