MORE than eight million Australians (30%) now live with allergic disease, up from 4.1 million (19.6%) in 2007, according to a new Deloitte Access Economics report.

This amounts to $18.9b in financial losses and $44.6b in non-financial impacts each year.

Allergic disease is one of Australia’s fastest growing chronic conditions, with hay fever, which affects around 24% of the population, food allergy (7%) and drug allergy (5%) among the most common.

There is an average financial cost of $2,318 and a further $5,470 of non-financial (wellbeing) costs per person living with an allergy.

The National Allergy Council (NAC), which provides education and support, and peak allergy research body the National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE) are leading Australia’s coordinated national response to allergic disease.

The two bodies called for ongoing investment in their programs to reduce the burden of allergic disease for millions of Australians – the report is HERE.

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