Research needs in allergy: an EAACI position paper, in collaboration with EFA
Authors: Papadopoulos Nikolaos G , Agache Ioana , Bavbek Sevim , Bilo Beatrice M , Braido Fulvio , Cardona Victoria , Custovic Adnan , de Monchy Jan , Demoly Pascal , Eigenmann Philippe , Gayraud Jacques , Grattan Clive , Heffler Enrico , Hellings Peter W , Jutel Marek , Knol Edward , Lötvall Jan , Muraro Antonella , Poulsen Lars K , Roberts Graham , Schmid‐Grendelmeier Peter , Skevaki Chrysanthi , Triggiani Massimo , van Ree Ronald , Werfel Thomas , Flood Breda , Palkonen Susanna , Savli Roberta , Allegri Pia , Annesi‐Maesano Isabella , Annunziato Francesco , Antolin‐Amerigo Dario , Apfelbacher Christian , Blanca Miguel , Bogacka Ewa , Bonadonna Patrizia , Bonini Matteo , Boyman Onur , Brockow Knut , Burney Peter , Buters Jeroen , Butiene Indre , Calderon Moises , Cardell Lars Olaf , Caubet Jean‐Christoph , Celenk Sevcan , Cichocka‐Jarosz Ewa , Cingi Cemal , Couto Mariana , de Jong Nicolette , Del Giacco Stefano , Douladiris Nikolaos , Fassio Filippo , Fauquert Jean‐Luc , Fernandez Javier , Rivas Montserrat Fernandez , Ferrer Marta , Flohr Carsten , Gardner James , Genuneit Jon , Gevaert Philippe , Groblewska Anna , Hamelmann Eckard , Hoffmann Hans Jürgen , Hoffmann‐Sommergruber Karin , Hovhannisyan Lilit , Hox Valérie , Jahnsen Frode L , Kalayci Ömer , Kalpaklioglu Ayse Füsun , Kleine‐Tebbe Jörg , Konstantinou George , Kurowski Marcin , Lau Susanne , Lauener Roger , Lauerma Antti , Logan Kirsty , Magnan Antoine , Makowska Joanna , Makrinioti Heidi , Mangina Paraskevi , Manole Felicia , Mari Adriano , Mazon Angel , Mills Clare , Mingomataj ErvinÇ , Niggemann Bodo , Nilsson Gunnar , Ollert Markus , O'Mahony Liam , O'Neil Serena , Pala Gianni , Papi Alberto , Passalacqua Gianni , Perkin Michael , Pfaar Oliver , Pitsios Constantinos , Quirce Santiago , Raap Ulrike , Raulf‐Heimsoth Monika , Rhyner Claudio , Robson‐Ansley Paula , Alves Rodrigo Rodrigues , Roje Zeljka , Rondon Carmen , Rudzeviciene Odilija , Ruëff Franziska , Rukhadze Maia , Rumi Gabriele , Sackesen Cansin , Santos Alexandra F , Santucci Annalisa , Scharf Christian , Schmidt‐Weber Carsten , Schnyder Benno , Schwarze Jürgen , Senna Gianenrico , Sergejeva Svetlana , Seys Sven , Siracusa Andrea , Skypala Isabel , Sokolowska Milena , Spertini Francois , Spiewak Radoslaw , Sprikkelman Aline , Sturm Gunter , Swoboda Ines , Terreehorst Ingrid , Toskala Elina , Traidl‐Hoffmann Claudia , Venter Carina , Vlieg‐Boerstra Berber , Whitacker Paul , Worm Margitta , Xepapadaki Paraskevi , Akdis Cezmi A 
Published: November 2012

In less than half a century, allergy, originally perceived as a rare disease, has become a major public health threat, today affecting the lives of more than 60 million people in Europe, and probably close to one billion worldwide, thereby heavily impacting the budgets of public health systems. More disturbingly, its prevalence and impact are on the rise, a development that has been associated with environmental and lifestyle changes accompanying the continuous process of urbanization and globalization. Therefore, there is an urgent need to prioritize and concert research efforts in the field of allergy, in order to achieve sustainable results on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this most prevalent chronic disease of the 21stcentury.

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is the leading professional organization in the field of allergy, promoting excellence in clinical care, education, training and basic and translational research, all with the ultimate goal of improving the health of allergic patients. The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA) is a non‐profit network of allergy, asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) patients’ organizations. In support of their missions, the present EAACI Position Paper, in collaboration with EFA, highlights the most important research needs in the field of allergy to serve as key recommendations for future research funding at the national and European levels.

Although allergies may involve almost every organ of the body and an array of diverse external factors act as triggers, there are several common themes that need to be prioritized in research efforts. As in many other chronic diseases, effective prevention, curative treatment and accurate, rapid diagnosis represent major unmet needs. Detailed phenotyping/endotyping stands out as widely required in order to arrange or re‐categorize clinical syndromes into more coherent, uniform and treatment‐responsive groups. Research efforts to unveil the basic pathophysiologic pathways and mechanisms, thus leading to the comprehension and resolution of the pathophysiologic complexity of allergies will allow for the design of novel patient‐oriented diagnostic and treatment protocols. Several allergic diseases require well‐controlled epidemiological description and surveillance, using disease registries, pharmacoeconomic evaluation, as well as large biobanks. Additionally, there is a need for extensive studies to bring promising new biotechnological innovations, such as biological agents, vaccines of modified allergen molecules and engineered components for allergy diagnosis, closer to clinical practice. Finally, particular attention should be paid to the difficult‐to‐manage, precarious and costly severe disease forms and/or exacerbations. Nonetheless, currently arising treatments, mainly in the fields of immunotherapy and biologicals, hold great promise for targeted and causal management of allergic conditions. Active involvement of all stakeholders, including Patient Organizations and policy makers are necessary to achieve the aims emphasized herein.