Government failing on allergy epidemic

7.17.39pm GMT Thu 29th Nov 2007

Jo ran the Loch Ness marathon in aid of the Anaphylaxis campaign last month

Jo Swinson has accused the Government of failing to respond to an 'allergy epidemic' in the UK.

The East Dunbartonshire MP led a debate on allergy services in the House of Commons today. She used the debate to highlight the needs of the 18 million allergy sufferers in the UK and called on the Government to invest more in training expert allergy consultants.

Speaking after the debate, Jo said:

"The figures on allergy are startling. 30% of adults and 40% of children in the UK suffer from allergy. There has been a three-fold rise in incidents of allergy in the last 20 years, and severe allergies are becoming more common, with peanut allergies now affecting 1 in 70 children. We really are facing an allergy epidemic.

"Repeated reports on allergy, including two by Parliamentary Select Committees, have called for better training of GPs in allergy treatment and diagnosis, as well as increased numbers of specialist allergy centres. So far the Government has failed to show any indication that it has grasped the seriousness of the UK's allergy epidemic.

"The cost of allergy to the NHS has been estimated at £1 billion. This figure will continue to rise until the causes of the allergy epidemic are addressed."

Jo Swinson suffers from a serious nut allergy and last month ran the Loch Ness Marathon in aid of the Anaphylaxis campaign.

Related Link:

Anaphylaxis Campaign