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Up to Half-Billion Dollars Spent Annually to Treat Food Allergy Reactions

Study Funded By FAAN Reviews Costs Associated with Medical Visits and Lost Productivity  

The cost of treating food allergy reactions is estimated to be between $340 and $510 million per year, according to the results of a newly published, and first of its kind, study on the economic burden of food allergy. David Holdford, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmacy at Virginia Commonwealth University and co-author of the study, was awarded a research grant from FAAN™ (the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) to conduct this study in 2010.

“This is the first study to quantify the medical costs and lost productivity of treating food allergy reactions,” said Holdford. “Details about the economic burden associated with food allergies will aid decision makers in formulating public health policies and guide future research that seeks to understand the impact of food allergy in the U.S.”

By reviewing medical records from 2006 and 2007, researchers estimated the average cost of illness per patient, looking at emergency visits, office-based physician visits, and outpatient visits for food-induced allergic reactions. The study was published online on April 14 by the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at www.jacionline.org.

“This study confirms that there is a significant financial consequence associated with food allergy, not only to individual families but to the healthcare system as well,” said FAAN CEO Maria Acebal. “It gives us a glimpse into the medical costs associated with treating allergic reactions to foods; further research will be needed to understand the full scope of the economic impact.”

Among the findings:

Visits to physicians’ offices made up more than half of all costs.

  • Children’s visits accounted for nearly 50 percent of in-patient costs, 32 percent of emergency department costs, and 67 percent of office-visit costs.
  • The average cost per emergency room visit was $533; the average cost of hospitalization was $4,719.

Researchers determined the indirect costs – $115 million in 2007 – by estimating lost earnings due to missing work because of a reaction or to care for a child who experienced a reaction.

Given the practical difficulty in tracking food allergic reactions, the increase in the prevalence of food allergy since 2007, and the additional direct out-of-pocket costs to families (multiple epinephrine auto-injectors, specialty foods, regular allergist visits) and to other key sectors such as schools and the food industry, it is highly likely that the economic burden of food allergies is much higher than estimated in this study.

To access the study, visit www.jacionline.org/inpress.

Patel, Dipen A, Holdford DA, Edwards E, Carroll NV. Estimating the economic burden of food-induced allergic reactions and anaphylaxis in the United States. J Allergy Clin Immunol, 201. doi 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.03.013.

About FAAN

Founded in 1991, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the world leader in information, resources, and programs for food allergy, a potentially life-threatening medical condition that afflicts as many as 15 million Americans, including almost 6 million children. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, Va., FAAN is dedicated to increasing public awareness of food allergy and its consequences, to educating people about the condition, and to advancing research on behalf of all those affected by it. FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. On May 9, 2012, FAAN announced its intent to merge with the other leading food allergy organization, the Food Allergy Initiative, pending state regulatory approval. To become a member or for more information, please visit FAAN at www.foodallergy.org.

Media Contact

Nancy Gregory
Media Relations
(703) 563-3066
E-mail: ngregory@foodallergy.org