Australia's Federal Government has committed $14.6 million over two years to address a growing allergy crisis that affects 8.2 million people and costs the economy $18.9 billion annually. This second round of funding will support the National Allergy Council (NAC) and the National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE) from July 2026 through June 2028, building on initial investments made in 2022 .

Allergic disease has become one of Australia's most urgent public health challenges. The financial and social burden is staggering: beyond the $18.9 billion in direct economic costs, allergies create an additional $44.6 billion in wellbeing losses due to anxiety, isolation, and reduced quality of life . These numbers underscore why government action has become essential.

What Has the National Allergy Council Already Accomplished?

Since its establishment in August 2022, the NAC and NACE have made significant progress in training professionals and supporting people living with allergies. The organizations have trained 233,000 school, children's education and care, and healthcare professionals in life-saving anaphylaxis skills, and educated 207,982 food service staff to provide safe food for people with food allergies . These training initiatives directly reduce the risk of severe allergic reactions in vulnerable populations.

Beyond training, the organizations have provided critical support and resources to families and healthcare providers. The National Allergy Helpline has supported 5,801 people, while the "Nip allergies in the Bub" website has reached 513,522 parents and healthcare professionals with evidence-based resources and advice . For rural communities, the NAC allergy assist education and specialist advice platform now helps more than 800 rural doctors improve access to allergy care, with recent expansion to metropolitan general practitioners.

How Is Australia Advancing Allergy Treatment and Research?

• Oral Immunotherapy Programs: The world-first, national, standardized peanut oral immunotherapy program called ADAPT was introduced at 10 pediatric hospitals across Australia in 2024, with 2,269 people with allergies enrolled in five NACE embedded research programs .
• Biorepository Development: The NACE Allergy BioRepository (ALBI) has been designed to accelerate discoveries and improve health outcomes by collecting and analyzing biological samples from people with allergies .
• Evidence Synthesis: Researchers have analyzed data from 768,118 people in existing studies to generate new knowledge about allergy prevalence rates, and synthesized 5,010 academic articles in Australia's first drug and food allergy living evidence collection to underpin clinical guidelines and public health programs .

These research initiatives represent a coordinated national effort to move beyond symptom management toward prevention and potential cures. The living evidence collection is particularly important because it continuously updates clinical guidelines as new research emerges, ensuring doctors have access to the latest information.

Why Is the Allergy Crisis Worsening in Australia?

The prevalence of allergies in Australia has grown dramatically in recent years. One in 10 babies now have a confirmed food allergy, one in 20 adults report a medication allergy, and one in four Australians have hay fever, up from one in seven in 2008 . These rising rates mean more families are managing multiple allergic conditions simultaneously, requiring coordinated care and support.

Certain populations face disproportionate burdens. First Nations people are twice as likely to present at hospital with asthma and other allergy-related illnesses, with emergency department presentations increasing significantly between 2018 and 2023 . The Australian Capital Territory and Victoria have some of the highest rates of allergic disease in the country.

Anaphylaxis, the most severe form of allergic reaction, remains a critical concern. More than 2,400 people are hospitalized with anaphylaxis each year, and 20 Australians lose their lives to allergic reactions annually . Between 1997 and 2013, anaphylaxis deaths increased by 7 percent annually, mostly triggered by foods, insect stings, or medications. Living with the risk of anaphylaxis creates significant psychological burden for individuals and their families.

What Does This Funding Mean for Families and Healthcare Providers?

The continued government investment signals recognition that allergies require a comprehensive, coordinated national response. Families seeking allergy services have expressed a need for greater community support and access to evidence-based information on best-practice management and emerging treatments like oral immunotherapy . The new funding will expand these services and make them more accessible across urban and rural areas.

"The NAC and the NACE collaboration has already made significant inroads, and we now have an unprecedented opportunity to develop more targeted, effective public health responses to allergic disease in this country," stated Dr. Melanie Wong, ASCIA nominated Director of the NAC.

Dr. Melanie Wong, ASCIA nominated Director of the National Allergy Council

This funding commitment builds on a decade of advocacy and research. The National Allergy Council was established following a 2019 bipartisan Parliamentary Inquiry into Allergies and Anaphylaxis and the subsequent "Walking the Allergy Tightrope" report, which recognized the critical need for a national plan of action . The government's continued investment through 2028 demonstrates sustained political commitment to addressing this growing health crisis.

For the 8.2 million Australians living with allergic disease, this funding represents hope for better access to training, research, and emerging treatments that could transform how allergies are managed and potentially prevented in future generations.