The University of Utah Allergies and Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders Clinic located at Primary Children's Hospital has joined the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) clinical network and was named a "Center of Excellence" by the organization earlier this week. FARE is the leading nonprofit organization working on behalf of the 15 million Americans with food allergies. Its clinical network, which now comprises 28 centers of excellence across the country, is dedicated to changing the face of food allergy care and is the only collaborative network of its kind.
The University of Utah/Primary Children's Hospital specialty clinic aims to better serve patients with severe eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders, commonly referred to as delayed food allergies. Such chronic conditions can result in pain, difficulty eating, frequent choking on food, vomiting, narrowing of the esophagus, and failure to thrive. Some children with eosinophilic disorders require liquid formulas or tube-feeding.
"We are excited that the University of Utah and Primary Children's Hospital center was accepted as one of the new centers in the Food Allergy Clinical Network. Food allergies are part of a growing epidemic, and this new network will allow us to better understand the causes of food allergies and be involved in designing and implementing new therapies in this field," stated Rafael Firszt, MD, assistant professor, department of pediatrics at the University of Utah and director of the clinic. "Much effort went into the application process, and we believe that this network will play a vital role in our patients accessing quality medical care in our community. We look forward to growing our relationship with FARE and with our local food allergy community."
The Salt Lake City clinic teams pediatric gastroenterology, allergy, behavioral health services and dietitians in a collaborative environment. This collaboration gives high-risk patients better access to consistent, well-coordinated specialty care closer to home. The clinic also will include creation of a database to track information about the disorders and promote further research about the disorders and treatments.
Members of the FARE Clinical Network are selected through a comprehensive, rigorous application process. The centers of excellence selected as part of the FARE Clinical Network provide high-quality clinical and sub-specialty food allergy expertise and services, and are focused on applying new evidence-based knowledge to this important field. These centers also meet high standards for clinical care, teaching and clinical research.
"Accelerating the pace of research on food allergies and helping to ensure that we can expand access to clinical trials and high-quality medical care is one of FARE's top priorities," said James R. Baker, Jr., MD, CEO and chief medical officer of FARE. "The addition of five exemplary institutions to the FARE Clinical Network enables FARE to significantly broaden the reach of this initiative."
To view a full list of FARE Clinical Network centers of excellence and for more information, visit www.foodallergy.org/research/fare-clinical-network.