Healthcare authorities generally reserve the term 'pandemic' to describe illnesses with life-threatening consequences on the whole world population, but today, many medical professionals believe it fits appropriately with current trends in allergy. In nearly every industrialised nation, the prevalence and incidence of allergic diseases - including asthma - has dramatically risen over the last thirty years, and according to experts there is no end in sight. In fact, specialists estimate today that 15% to 30% of the general population suffers from an allergic disease, and in 30 years' time, if left unchecked, we all may be sneezing, scratching and sniffling because of an allergy!
In 1987, in light of these alarming circumstances, UCB founded a European, independent, non-profit organization, the Brussels-based UCB Institute of Allergy (Science and Business: can they go hand in hand?). Through a series of informative actions The UCB Institute of Allergy (IOA) strives, first and foremost, to help combating the growing pandemic of allergic diseases while relieving the discomfort and suffering of the many millions of allergy victims worldwide. The organisation has recently fine-tuned its original mission by focusing on providing health professionals and general public with continuous up-to-date scientific information and educational materials about allergies, and particularly about allergy prevention.
IOA functions under the supervision of a Scientific Advisory Board (made up of eminent European Specialists in the field of allergy) and an Executive Committee which provides a link between the representatives of UCB and the Advisory Board, and ensures the feasibility of the projects developed under the IOA patronage. IOA initiates many actions to inform and educate about allergic diseases, to help identifying ways for allergy prevention, to promote research, to analyze the current situation and to define key actions to be taken over the coming years. Moreover IOA favours cooperation between various allergy related organisations. The Institute is present all around Europe with more than 20 local national sections and also in South Africa.
IOA endeavors to carry out its mission by achieving the following basic objectives:
- Develop and facilitate distribution of pertinent information on allergic diseases to medical professionals as well as to the general public through symposia, publications and other media
- Stimulate communication and research on allergic diseases by encouraging basic research, epidemiological studies, and postgraduate training within the medical community
- Inform and motivate decision makers (public authorities, patient associations, parents and caregivers) to take necessary preventive actions
The UCB Institute of Allergy reaches its goals by implementing a host of educational and informative actions targeting the medical community, patients, patients associations, and the public.