The Finnish Allergy Programme 2008-2018 - scientific rationale and practical implementation

Abstract

There are no nationwide, comprehensive public health programmes on allergic disorders with set goals and systematic follow-up. The Finnish initiative is based on the idea that the so called allergy epidemic in modern, urban societies is caused by inadequately developed or broken tolerance. The immune system is not trained to make the difference between danger and non-danger (allergy) or the difference between self and non-self (autoimmune diseases). The immune dysfunction leads to inappropriate inflammatory responses and clinical symptoms. The 10-year implementation programme is aimed to reduce burden of allergies both at the individual and societal levels. This is done by increasing both immunological and psychological tolerance and changing attitudes to support health instead of medicalising common and mild allergy symptoms. Severe forms of allergy are in special focus, e.g. asthma attacks are prevented proactively by improving disease control with the help of guided self-management. Networking of allergy experts with primary care doctors and nurses as well with pharmacists is the key for effective implementation. Non-governmental organizations have started a campaign to increase allergy awareness and knowledge among patients and general public. It is time to act, when allergic individuals are becoming a majority of Western populations and their numbers are in rapid increase worldwide. The first results of the Finnish Programme indicate that allergy burden can be reduced with relatively simple means.

The biodiversity hypothesis and allergic disease: world allergy organization position statement

“…For allergy, including variable conditions from asthma to food allergy and anaphylaxis, one such comprehensive, nationwide plan has been successful [128,156,157]. In Finland, the allergy initiative collaborated with the government (both central and local) and several national and international organizations as well as non-governmental patient organizations to decrease the burden of all allergic conditions.…”

Integrated Allergy and Asthma Prevention and Care: Report of the MeDALL/AIRWAYS ICPs Meeting at the Ministry of Health and Care Services, Oslo, Norway

“…The first results show that the severity of asthma (according to data on emergency visits, hospitalisations and self-reported severity) has been reduced and that prevention measures are meeting many of the proposed targets [5]. …”

“…This integrated programme has been operative in Finland and the first results, allowing a proof-of-concept, are encouraging enough to promote its deployment to other countries [5]. The MeDALL (Mechanisms of the Development of Allergy) Work Package 10 proposed the deployment of the Finnish Allergy Plan to other countries [6].…”

Guidelines for allergy prevention in Hong Kong

“…The implementation of National Allergy Programme, a new programme designed after the success of the previous Finnish Asthma Programme in 2000 to 2010, has already shown that the burden and cost of allergic diseases can be reduced by a pragmatic public health action plan. 53 A successful communitybased programme requires contributions from various stakeholders for effective implementation. Educational campaigns and networking between specialists and primary care doctors, pharmacists, nurses, teachers, parents, allergic patients, and the general public should be promoted.…”