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Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the leading nonprofit organization working on behalf of the 15 million Americans with food allergies, today announced the expansion of the FARE Clinical Network, which now comprises 28 centers of excellence across the country. The FARE Clinical Network, dedicated to changing the face of food allergy care, is the only collaborative network of its kind.

FARE is pleased to have the following centers join the FARE Clinical Network:

• Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital; New York, New York
• Gores Family Allergy Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles; Los Angeles, California
• ‘Specially for Children, an affiliate of Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, an Ascension hospital; Austin, Texas
• University of Utah Health Care/Primary Children’s Hospital; Salt Lake City, Utah
• Virginia Mason Medical Center/Benaroya Research Institute; Seattle, Washington

Launched in 2015, the FARE Clinical Network is made up of 28 leading research and care sites nationwide and represents an investment by FARE of approximately $2.7 million annually. In approximately one year, FARE Clinical Network centers served more than 56,000 patients with food allergies, with more than one-third of those patients new to the centers, reinforcing the urgent need for initiatives such as the network.

FARE Clinical Network centers are serving as sites for clinical trials for the development of new therapeutics and developing best practices for the care of patients with food allergies. The FARE Clinical Network is a powerful driver of collaboration to advance the field of food allergy, with member centers contributing to the development of a national food allergy patient registry. FARE plans to further expand the network to 40 to 50 sites within the next three years.

“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.”

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.

"The FARE Clinical Network is a brilliant way to jump-start regional food allergy centers," said Stephen Tilles, MD, a member of FARE's Clinical Advisory Board Executive Committee. "In our case at the Northwest Asthma and

Allergy Center in Seattle and at centers across the country, FARE has provided funding that is critically needed in order to maintain a high quality food allergy center, contributing toward the acceleration of food allergy research and the availability of new treatments for patients. FARE support offsets costs for research coordinators who help manage the process of complex clinical trials, facilitating access to these trials for the patient community."

FARE is pleased to make information about FARE Clinical Network members available to supporters and families managing food allergies. FARE recommends that patients managing food allergies meet with their physicians to discuss their individual needs in order to inform their personal healthcare decisions.

To view a full list of FARE Clinical Network centers of excellence and for more information, visit https://www.foodallergy.org/resources/fare-clinical-network-centers-distinction

ABOUT FARE

Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) works on behalf of the 15 million Americans with food allergies, including all those at risk for life-threatening anaphylaxis. This potentially deadly disease affects 1 in every 13 children in the U.S. – or roughly two in every classroom. FARE’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the health of individuals with food allergies, and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments. Our work is organized around three core tenets: LIFE – support the ability of individuals with food allergies to live safe, productive lives with the respect of others through our education and advocacy initiatives; HEALTH – enhance the healthcare access of individuals with food allergies to state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment; and HOPE – encourage and fund research in both industry and academia that promises new therapies to improve the allergic condition. For more information, please visit www.foodallergy.org and find us on Twitter @FoodAllergy, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest.