NZ allergist shortage causing health risks

Monday, 25 May 2009 20:55

The current number of allergy and immunology specialists per head of population in New Zealand has been found to be well below international benchmarks and is said to be inadequate to manage the burden of the disease. Allergy New Zealand expressed their concerns during the 2009 Allergy Awareness Week (17-23rd May), saying this shortage is likely to lead to self-diagnosis, or cause people to turn to unconventional medicine, both of which were potentially life-threatening if true food allergy is present.

The risk was highlighted by a recent coroner’s inquest into the death of a man in Ireland who received treatment for his peanut allergy by an alternative practitioner and died after supposedly being ‘cured’.

Allergy New Zealand say their aim during Allergy Awareness Week was to increase public and professional appreciation of the impact of allergic disorders on quality of life and the economic impact to society, and get the allergic public to be more aware of where they get their information.

The full Allergy New Zealand media release can be downloaded here.