Brussels, 24/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 21 October, 11 MEPs from various political groups presented a written statement on recognition of the constraints associated with allergies. The MEPs underline the rise of allergies among the European population and the lack of account for these illnesses due to a lack of resources and a lack of knowledge of the phenomenon. Allergies are not recognised enough as reason for ageing in bad health and they have a significant effect on social performance and on results in the workplace and at school, giving rise to socio-economic imbalances, the MEPs state. They call on the European Commission to encourage cooperation and coordination between member states so as to promote health care and multidisciplinary treatment plans to improve patient care and encourage scientific research to understand the risk factors of allergies. The head of the European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), Nikos Papadopoulos, welcomes this initiative which “will send an important signal for widespread action to fight against the constraints associated with allergies (…). Inexpensive solutions exist but we need the European Parliament's support to assure us that the member states will implement them”, he says (our translation). The head of the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients Associations (EFA), Breda Flood, was also delighted about the MEPs' support and calls on their colleagues to sign the statement by 21 January 2014. (IL/transl.fl)