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The Summit was a virtual event. More than 1,280 people attended at least one day of the Summit. Participants hailed from 35 countries and six continents.
The Summit engaged patients, parents and caregivers on the latest in food allergy prevention and treatment. The presentations were designed to provide practical, evidence-based and easy-to-understand information. Attendees were invited to ask questions in panel discussions and Q&A sessions.
Topics included:
- Understanding the science of food allergies
- Food allergies vs. food sensitivity and intolerance
- Anaphylaxis preparedness and going to the ER
- When to see a food allergy specialist – and how to find one
- Food allergy treatment: avoidance or immunotherapy?
- Are you an oral immunotherapy (OIT) candidate?
- Investing in OIT: time, money, energy, resources
- Special considerations with oral immunotherapy
- The future of food allergy treatments
Global Food Therapy co-founders and board-certified allergists Douglas H. Jones, MD and Atul N. Shah, MD developed the Summit with support from Allergy & Asthma Network. Dr. Jones and Dr. Shah are also internationally recognized food allergy experts with a combined experience of more than 35 years and caring for more than 35,000+ patients. Their passion is to provide life-changing therapy to food allergy families.
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Douglas Jones, MD
![atul-shah Photo of Atul Shah](https://allergyasthmanetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/atul-shah.jpg)
Atul Shah, MD
AGENDA
Day 1: Friday, August 13, 2021 — Food Allergy Basics and Diagnosis
- Patient Testimonial – Shiv Sewlal opens the Summit sharing her story of living with food allergies. Presenter: Douglas Jones, MD
- Why Are You Here? Know Your Why! – A discussion on the importance of your purpose and goals with food allergy and treatment options. Presenter: Atul Shah, MD
- Food Allergy: The Real Global Pandemic – What is food allergy? Why is it important? How does it impact quality of life given the risks? Presenter: Douglas Jones, MD
- Myth Busting with Food Allergy Science – Topics include: Allergy vs. intolerance vs. sensitivities; milk allergy vs. lactose intolerance; gluten allergy vs. celiac vs. non-celiac gluten sensitivity; eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Presenter: David Stukus, MD
- Food Allergy Testing: Muddying the Waters or Clearing It Up? – A closer look at skin tests vs. blood tests, as well as non-validated tests. Presenter: Priya Bansal, MD
- Basophil Activation Test (BAT) – A new diagnostic test for food allergy. Presenter: Oral Alpan, MD
- Oral Food Challenges – What are oral food challenges, are they safe, and what is the value? Presenter: Douglas Mack, MD
- Be Prepared, Not Scared: Anaphylaxis Preparedness and Allergist Care – Use epinephrine and go to the ER? Or use epinephrine to prevent going to the ER? Presenter: Jacqueline Eghrari-Sabet, MD
Day 2: Saturday, August 14, 2021 — Food Allergy Treatment Options
- Food Allergy Treatment: Know Your Options – Avoidance of food allergens vs. oral immunotherapy (OIT) vs. patch vs. boiled peanut vs. herbal formulations vs. other considerations. Presenter: Atul Shah, MD
- Who is an OIT candidate: Am I too allergic? – How to determine if you are an OIT candidate: history, testing age, EoE, other conditions. Presenter: Douglas Jones, MD
- How Well Does OIT Work? Pretty Well, Thank You – OIT basics, science and evidence, logistics and specialists. Presenter: Richard Wasserman, MD
- Living with Food Allergies: What We Have Learned From Patients – A discussion of how patients’ experiences with food allergies can help direct treatment. Presenter: Manav Segal, MD
- Foods That Can Be Treated with OIT – Single allergy vs. multi-food allergies: What does your specialist do? Presenter: Paul Detjen, MD
- What Is the Fine Print? OIT Risks and Side Effects – A closer look at OIT so that candidates know what to expect. Presenter: Mohamed Yassin, MD
- Role of Anxiety in Patients and Parents – Considering the impact anxiety can have on food allergy treatment. Presenter: Atul Shah, MD
- Panel Discussion: Location, Location, Location – What to do if OIT is not currently available or a viable option near you. Moderator: Douglas Jones, MD, with panelists.
Day 3: Sunday, August 15, 2021 – Special Considerations
- Traveling with Food Allergies – Tips for successful travel with food allergy. Presenter: Kyle Dine, food allergy educator
- I Gotta Gut Feeling About This! – OIT, probiotics and gut health preparation. Presenter: Sakina Bajowala, MD
- The Brain-Gut Connection and How It Applies to OIT – Presenter: Amy Darter, MD
- To D or Not to D? It’s Not a Question – Vitamin D and its role in immunity and allergy. Presenter: Douglas Jones, MD
- Food Allergies Go to School – How parents and schools can work together to ensure schoolchildren are safe. Presenter: Sally Schoessler, RN, Director of Education, Allergy & Asthma Network
- What is Sustained Tolerance? – A discussion on OIT desensitization and developing and maintaining tolerance to food allergens. Plus, what do these terms really mean? Presenter: Sanjeev Jain, MD
- Sharing Decisions With Your Doctor – A closer look at Shared Decision Making and how it applies to food allergy. Presenter: Tonya Winders, President/CEO, Allergy & Asthma Network
- Food Allergy Prevention – Developing and implementing effective prevention strategies and a discussion of LEAP and EAT studies. Presenter: Kari Nadeau, MD
- Managing Food Allergies With Confidence! Presenter: Michael Pistiner, MD
- Panel Discussion: Being a Self-Advocate. Moderator: Douglas Jones, MD with panelists Tonya Winders, Allie Bahn and Lianne Mandelbaum
Thank You to Our Event Sponsors
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Have you ever wanted MORE access to food allergy experts? Join Global Food Therapy’s Food Allergy Experts Community
-
- 6-part online video course covering food allergy, including oral immunotherapy
- Regular video conference calls with food allergy experts
- Updates on innovation in food allergy treatment
- Involvement in a dynamic food allergy community
First month FREE!
After the first month, continue for $10 per month or $97 annually.