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July 1, 2009 |
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Welcome to ACAAI eNews - a monthly aggregated news
service from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. To be
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Top Stories |
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Drugs and Devices |
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Association News |
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Fellows-in-Training |
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Periodicals |
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Calendar |
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Archive |
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FIT Archive |
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Distance
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Conferences
On Line Allergy Initiative (COLA)
2008 ACAAI Annual Meeting CME Symposium
2008 ACAAI Annual Meeting Podcasts and Vodcasts
2008 ACAAI/AAAAI Certification/Maintenance of Certification Board Review Course
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Periodicals |
Annals of Allergy, Asthma and
Immunology
Current issue
AllergyWatch
Current issue
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Calendar |
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JULY
CSAAI’s 17th Annual Meeting
A Midsummer Night’s Wheeze
July 10-12, Huntington Beach, Calif.
Contact: David Arriola
Tel: 323-442-2546
Email
IWAA Hot Topics in Allergy and Asthma
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
July 16-19, Sun Valley, Idaho
Contact: Doug Huneywell
Tel: 509-924-9722
Email
27th Annual Asthma Allergy Conference
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
July 28 - Aug. 1, Aspen, Colo.
Contact: Jill Hibbeln
Tel: 303-733-9590
Email
AUGUST
Alabama Society of Allergy and Immunology's
30th Annual Postgraduate Review Course
Aug. 7-9, Destin, Fla.
Contact: Mr. Richard Carson
Tel: 334-954-2577
Email
10th Annual Meeting of the Tennessee Society of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Pending Joint ACAAI Sponsorship
Aug. 14-16, Franklin, Tenn.
Contact: Reba Green
Tel: 865-584-5727
Email
SEPTEMBER
2nd European Congress of Immunology
Sept. 13-16, Berlin, Germany
Tel: +49 (0)30 24603-0
Email
Link
Long Island Allergy and Asthma Society
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Sept. 11-13, Montauk, N.Y.
Contact: Muataz Jaber, M.D.
Tel: 516-764-4180
Email
OCTOBER
The Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Society
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Oct. 2-3, Savannah, Ga.
Contact: Eric Bletzinger
Tel: 270-684-6144
Email
Update in Allergy and Immunology Symposium
Pending ACAAI Joint Sponsorship
Oct. 8, East Meadow, N.Y.
Contact: Marianne Frieri, M.D., PhD
Tel: 718-631-9440
Email
ONGOING
World
Allergy Organization Society Meetings
ACAAI
CME JOINT SPONSORSHIP ACCREDITATION
Contact: Mary Campbell
Tel: 847-427-1200
Email
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Top
Stories |
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Many adults with asthma skipping flu shots
Many adults with asthma, who face higher rates of flu complications, skip their annual flu vaccine, according to a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which has collected information from telephone surveys since 1984, to evaluate responses about vaccinations. Among more than 173,000 adults in the 18- to 64-year-old age group, 8.4 percent had asthma. Of those with asthma, 33.9 percent got vaccinated for the flu. Among adults 18 to 64 without asthma, 28.8 percent got flu shots. Adults 50 to 64 with asthma had a 54.7 percent flu vaccination rate.
FDA requests precaution label on leukotriene receptor agonists
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently requested that drug makers who manufacture leukotriene receptor agonists add a precaution in the drug prescribing information, warning of possible neuropsychiatric side effects. The drugs include montelukast (brand name Singulair), zafirlukast (Accolate), and zileuton (Zyflo and Zyflo CR), as well as leukotriene synthesis inhibitors. According to the FDA, neuropsychiatric events include post-market cases of agitation, aggression, anxiousness, dream abnormalities and hallucinations, depression, insomnia, irritability, restlessness, suicidal thinking and behavior — including suicide — and tremor.
One-third of children’s caregivers not using albuterol appropriately
Nearly one-third of caregivers do not use albuterol appropriately when the child in their care has an asthma flare-up, according to study in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. Scientists from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, examined albuterol use at home by surveying 114 caregivers of low-income, urban children. They used National Asthma Education and Prevention Program guidelines to determine whether albuterol use was appropriate or inappropriate. Albuterol was used appropriately by 68 percent of caregivers, but the other 32 percent either under-treated or over-treated their children. If the child had visited the emergency department or been hospitalized during the past year, appropriate use increased. Neither having an asthma action plan nor recently visiting a primary health-care provider affected appropriate albuterol use.
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A message from ACAAI President Richard G. Gower, M.D., FACAAI
I’m pleased to report that the ACAAI Board of Regents (BOR) held a very successful strategic retreat June 20 in Chicago to update our organization’s strategic plan, which will be used to guide the College over the next several years. The meeting was facilitated by John F. “Jack” Schlegel, PharmD, MSEd, CAE, president of Schlegel & Associates, who did an outstanding job of ensuring the meeting was interactive, thorough, and productive. This resulted in a comprehensive evaluation of current and future needs culminating in an updated ACAAI Strategic Plan. The Board agreed that the mission and vision statements should remain as follows:
Mission: “The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology promotes excellence in the practice of the subspecialty of allergy and immunology.”
Vision: “The College fosters a culture of collaboration and congeniality in which its members work together and with others towards the common goals of patient care, education, advocacy and research.”
The goals and objectives of the strategic plan will soon be available on the College Web site and specific strategies will be developed for implementation.
ACAAI/AAAAI Collaboration
Held in conjunction with the strategic planning retreat, the ACAAI BOR had a congenial and productive meeting June 19 and 20 with the leadership of the AAAAI to discuss items of mutual concern.
Considering the impact of the overall economic downturn on both organizations, we explored areas where we might work together, including expanding some of our successful joint ventures and utilizing joint task forces more efficiently. Topics of discussion are summarized in the joint letter below.
The College BOR agreed to increase financial support of the Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (JCAAI) by up to $45,000 through 2009 to offset half of its operational deficit.
When finalized, the College will provide its updated strategic plan to the Joint Task Force to Explore the Future of Allergy/Immunology for review and identification of additional areas of common ground and possible collaboration.
GARD Update
On June 12-13, I had the pleasure of representing the College at the World Health Organization’s Global Alliance Against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) general meeting in Rome, Italy, with more than 100 delegates from around the world.
GARD is a voluntary alliance of national and international organizations, institutions, and agencies including ACAAI, committed toward the common goal to reduce the global burden of non-communicable respiratory diseases. Because most chronic respiratory diseases are under-diagnosed, under-treated and access to essential medications in many countries is poor, a global effort to improve the diagnosis and the medical care is needed.
Hosted by the Italian Ministry of Health, delegates attending the meeting discussed the implementation of GARD Action Plan 2008-2013 within the framework of WHO's Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases 2008-2013.
ACAAI Past President William K. Dolen, M.D., FACAAI, was appointed to serve as “GARD advisor” to Prof. Jean Bousquet, M.D., chairman of GARD’s Executive Committee.
Look for more details on recent Board actions and the strategic plan in future editions of ACAAI eNews and ACAAI News.
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Joint Message from the Presidents
Richard G. Gower, M.D., FACAAI, FAAAAI, and Paul A. Greenberger M.D., FAAAAI, FACAAI
In mid-June, the AAAAI Board of Directors and ACAAI Board of Regents met jointly as a part of each organization’s board meeting. This was the third joint board meeting for the organizations. Previous sessions were held in 2003 and 2006.
Although leaders of both organizations communicate often, this face-to-face meeting was a great opportunity for us to get to know each other and discuss important issues impacting our specialty and our organizations. Topics included:
- Joint Task Force to Explore the Future of the Specialty of Allergy/Immunology
- Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (JCAAI)
- Additional areas of collaboration between the AAAAI and ACAAI
- Assessment of whether the ACAAI and AAAAI are meeting the needs of our constituents
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The Joint Task Force to Explore the Future of the Specialty of Allergy/Immunology is being co-chaired by Stephen A. Imbeau, M.D., (JCAAI), Jay M. Portnoy, M.D., (ACAAI) and David P. Huston, M.D. (AAAAI). It is organized into three major sub-groups: Workforce (members: David A. Brown, M.D., Vincent R. Bonagura, M.D., and Warner W. Carr, M.D.); Healthcare Environment (members: Stephen A. Imbeau, M.D., Donald Aaronson, M.D., and Timothy J. Craig, M.D.) and Organizations (members: David P. Huston, M.D., Jay M. Portnoy, M.D., Daniel Ein, M.D., Stanley M. Fineman, M.D., and Robert A. Nathan, M.D.)
Currently, the sub-groups are collecting relevant statistical data and information from both organizations. Analysis of this data will form a solid basis for recommendations regarding future collaborations, causal relationships and how problems/issues can be efficiently and effectively approached and solved. If you are invited to serve on one of these groups, we hope you will respond positively and contribute to this very important project.
Jointly, the boards discussed options for funding the JCAAI. During this time of health care debate and change, we believe that there is more reason and urgency than ever to support the JCAAI. The JCAAI’s sustained advocacy efforts benefit our members and the specialty. If you haven’t done so yet, we encourage you to visit the JCAAI Web site.
Collaboration between the AAAAI and the ACAAI may not always be evident, but it is strong. Some of these efforts are “behind the scenes,” while others are well-publicized. For example, you are most likely aware of our joint Task Forces and the Board Review Course; but did you know there is a joint rapid response media plan that has and will continue to address important and/or controversial issues of national interest?
Collaboration on behalf of our specialty and our members is a standing agenda item on our monthly joint leadership conference calls. Rest assured, your feedback is encouraged and heard.
Please contact us regarding your suggestions concerning areas of future cooperation.
Sincerely,
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Association
News |
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ACAAI is accepting applications for Executive Medical Director
Due to increasing demands on the ACAAI President and the rapidly changing social, economic and political environments, the ACAAI Board of Regents has created a new, part-time, salaried position of Executive Medical Director (EMD).
The EMD shall serve as an independent advisor/consultant and report directly to the president. The incumbent shall oversee the strategic vision and goals of the College and monitor the medical and socio-economic issues that may impact the subspecialty of allergy and immunology.
The role of the EMD will help maintain continuity of projects from one administration to another to provide “institutional memory.” Other areas of responsibility include oversight for educational, research, international and public relations programs; income generation; and fostering relationships with other primary care and specialty organizations.
Applicants must be a former member of the ACAAI Board of Regents Executive Committee and, preferably, an ACAAI past president with business acumen. The individual chosen must have demonstrated integrity and be willing to devote the time and energy necessary to the position.
For more information or to apply, see the job description and application form on the College Web site. The ACAAI Search Committee is accepting applications until July 24.
Marvin Hamlisch headlines Fundraising Dinner
 The College is thrilled to announce a special performance by Marvin Hamlisch at the ACAAI Annual Fundraising Dinner, Sunday evening, during the ACAAI Annual Meeting in Miami Beach, Nov. 5-10. As a composer, Hamlisch has won virtually every major award, including three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globe awards. His groundbreaking show, A Chorus Line, received the Pulitzer Prize.
He is the composer of more than 40 motion picture scores, including his Oscar-winning score and song for The Way We Were and his adaptation of Scott Joplin’s music for The Sting, for which he received a third Oscar. His prolific output of scores for films include original compositions and/or musical adaptations for Sophie’s Choice, Ordinary People, The Swimmer, Three Men and a Baby, Ice Castles, Take the Money and Run, Bananas and Save the Tiger. His latest effort is The Informant, starring Matt Damon, scheduled for release in September.
The fundraising event includes a cocktail reception, a Silent Auction organized by the Alliance, dinner, and the Marvin Hamlisch performance. Net proceeds from the event will be donated to the ACAAI Foundation to support the Consortium on Children’s Asthma Camps, Scholars Return Programs, and Young Faculty Support Awards.
Food Allergy Symposium kicks off ACAAI Annual Meeting
The 13th International Food Allergy Symposium on Thursday kicks off the ACAAI Annual Meeting in Miami Beach, on Thursday, Nov. 5. The full-day program, co-chaired by Alessandro Fiocchi, M.D., FACAAI (SC) and Amal H. Assa’ad, M.D., will provide cutting-edge information on the basic and clinical aspects of food allergy pathogenesis, prediction, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
The morning program will include interesting lectures on cross-reactivity; interpretation of serologic tests; and diagnosis and treatment of EGID. The afternoon program covers eating with food allergies; Chinese treatments; potential immunotherapy treatments; and oral abstract presentations. At the end of the day, poster abstracts will be on display for viewing and discussion with the authors. “Food allergy has been gaining remarkable interest, and this symposium provides exciting information, particularly on the clinical aspects of the subject,” said Sami Bahna, M.D., FACAAI, President-Elect and overall Program Chair.
“Great presentations also will be at the plenary sessions, symposia, workshops, and Meet the Professor Breakfast seminars,” Dr. Bahna said. The full program and registration information will be distributed shortly.
Check out the wide array of programs offered at the ACAAI Annual Meeting, Nov. 5-9. Look for your meeting registration packet in the mail this month. Members will be notified when online registration opens.
Submit your abstracts online: Deadline is July 15
The deadline for abstract submission for the ACAAI Annual Meeting is 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, July 15. Only electronic submissions will be accepted. To submit an abstract, go to the ACAAI Web site and click on “2009 Annual Meeting Abstract Submission.” On-screen prompts will take you through the submission process. After the abstract is submitted, you will receive an e-mail confirmation. Abstracts not officially submitted cannot be considered.
Link patients to College’s Web tools
All ACAAI members are encouraged to alert patients to the up-to-date, useful information on allergies and asthma available on AllergyAndAsthmaRelief.org, the College’s site created especially for the public.
The site offers a wealth of patient resources, including:
- Background on allergies, asthma, and other allergic conditions
- A Relief Self-Test that gauges the impact of allergies and asthma and provides access to a personalized Relief Plan
- Podcasts, newsletters, and videos on seasonal allergy/asthma conditions
- Patient success stories
- A Lifetime Symptom Calculator to determine how much time is spent suffering from controllable allergy and asthma symptoms
About 12,000 people visit the Web site each week, and about 2,000 take the Relief Self-Test. An e-card is available at the site for visitors to send to family and friends who also may have allergies or asthma. Promote the Web site with your patients and help drive traffic.
New fellow orientation lectures now available on COLA
The College’s Allergy Conferences Online (COLA) now includes new fellow orientation lectures. The free Web-based interactive series of live conferences and podcasts are complementary and not sponsored by industry. CME is available through Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Mo., for those who participate in the live presentation. Scheduled programs are listed on the COLA calendar with instructions on how to participate. To access the conferences, go to the College member Web site to the Distance Learning menu and click COLA. Podcasts of previous COLA programs have received more than 17,000 hits.
Annual Meeting vodcasts available weekly
The College is offering complimentary 30-minute vodcasts of 2008 ACAAI Annual Meeting scientific sessions for viewing or downloading from the Distance Learning page of the ACAAI Web site. The first vodcasts contain the slides and audio from the Thursday half-day conferences in Seattle, Tracking Oral Immunotherapy: Should We Begin the Slit Express and Dermatology and Your Practice. Future vodcasts will feature selected sessions from the Literature Review Course and the named lectures. This convenient service is sponsored by an educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline.
Check out the ACAAI Allergist Buyers Guide
The College created the ACAAI Allergist Buyers Guide — the first product marketplace representing the field of allergy-immunology — to provide you with a fast and easy way to search for industry resources online. Your online searches will easily locate products and services unique to allergy-immunology without the clutter of a general Internet search engine, so you can quickly find and research those hard-to-locate items. The fully searchable site features listings of companies — including ACAAI Annual Meeting exhibitors — grouped into business segments, such as clinical support services, medical equipment, practice management and pharmaceuticals.
News from Connecticut and Louisiana!
It looks like Connecticut and Louisiana students legally will be able to carry and self-administer life-saving asthma and anaphylaxis medications starting this upcoming school year. The two states recently became the 48th and 49th to pass this life-saving legislation and both bills are awaiting signatures from the governors of their respective states. Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) members and other patient groups rallied to support the two bills (SB755 in Connecticut and HB602 in Louisiana).
Prem K. Menon, M.D., FACAAI, in Baton Rouge, La., a member of AANMA’s Board of Directors, spearheaded the effort in Louisiana along with AANMA members. The bill passed the House and Senate unanimously thanks to their hard work and the support from advocates they rallied throughout the state.
South Dakota is the only state remaining without a law protecting students with asthma and anaphylaxis; five states have yet to pass laws allowing students to carry anaphylaxis medication. Read more at AANMA’s website, www.aanma.org. For more information about state laws affecting students with asthma, go to: www.aanma.org/advocacy/meds-at-school.
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AMA Corner
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Welcome to the AMA Corner, prepared by Alnoor A. Malick, M.D., FACAAI, the College’s Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates. AMA Corner helps keep you abreast of important AMA news and developments impacting allergy-immunology.
President Obama receives warm welcome from AMA physicians
The AMA warmly welcomed President Barack Obama to its 158th annual meeting this week in Chicago. Like the president, the AMA is committed to health system reform this year that provides all Americans with affordable, high-quality health coverage.
Highlighting physicians’ commitment to their patients, Obama said to a standing ovation, “you did not enter this profession to be bean counters and paper-pushers. You entered this profession to be healers — and that’s what our health care system should let you be.”
Obama — the first U.S. president to address the AMA House of Delegates since Ronald Reagan in 1983 — said, “I need your help, doctors. To most Americans, you are the health care system.” He also told physicians, “I will listen to you and work with you to pursue reform that works for you.”
AMA adopts new policies at Annual Meeting
The AMA House of Delegates (HOD) passed policy that provides recommendations on emerging alternative physician payment methods. And the AMA voted to adopt new guiding principles for physicians in the event a patient’s electronic medical record is breached and recommendations on how health care organizations, such as medical schools and hospitals, can serve as role models and educators on the importance of adopting a healthier and more sustainable food system.
Several new public health policies also were adopted by the AMA-HOD. Topics included flu protection during airline travel, electronic cigarettes in smoking cessation programs, the use of tasers by law enforcement agencies, and Vitamin D.
Below is additional information about the AMA Annual Meeting:
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Fellows-in-Training |
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Have any questions, suggestions or comments? Feel free to contact your regional or national FIT representatives listed on the Fellows-in-Training page of the College Web site.
Board Review Corner
Welcome to the Board Review Corner prepared by Jennifer W. Mbuthia, M.D., and Christopher R. Martin, M.D., Senior and Junior Representatives of ACAAI’s fellows-in-training (FITs) to the Board of Regents. The Board Review Corner is an opportunity to help hone your Board preparedness.
To refer to a previous Board Review Corner, click the "FIT Archive" link in the
left column.
Review Questions: Pediatric Allergy: Principles & Practices, edited by Donald Y.M. Leung, et al. Questions and answers featured in this issue include:
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Chapter 55: Contact Dermatitis – by Madhu B. Narra, M.D., Baylor College of Medicine, and Thomas G. Sternberg, M.D., Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center.
- Chapter 56: Allergic and Immunologic Eye Disease – by Kusum Sharma, M.D., Penn State University at Milton Hershey Medical Center, and Christopher R. Martin, M.D., Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
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