The world allergy organization today 英文参考文献.docVIP

EDITORIAL TheWorldAllergyOrganizationToday G.WalterCanonica D oes the world really need a global allergy organization? As the individualhonoredtobepresidentoftheWorldAllergyOrganiza- tion(WAO)atthisexcitingtimeintheorganization’shistory,youwould notexpectmyreplytobeanythingotherthanaresoundingYES!Butthe undeniablefact is that allergycontinues asa growing problemin most areas of the world, and a major global problem requires a coordinated globalresponse. TheWAOstartedlifemorethan50yearsagoastheInternational Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (IAACI). The IAACI organized triennial congresses to bring together the relatively small number of allergists, clinical immunologists,andorgan-basedspecialistswithaparticularinterestinallergicdiseases.As theglobalburdenofallergyincreased,itbecameclearthatanorganizationwithafarwider scope of activity was needed to address the many issues surrounding this burgeoning clinicalproblem.In1998,adecisionwastakenbythenewBoardofDirectorsofIAACIto change the name to World Allergy Organization, as the organization moved to adopt a greatlyexpandedrole. What are the major issues that WAO addresses? And why is WAO the right organization for the job? First, we are a federation of national allergy and clinical immunology societies and regional allergy organizations. Our members range from societieswithseveralthousandsofmembersandcomplexmanagementstructures,tosmall societies oftens ofmembers, coordinatedsolelybythe effortsofvolunteers. Ourlarger andeconomicallystrongermembersocietieshavedevelopedtheinfrastructuretopromote the specialty of allergy at a national level, to develop treatment guidelines and recommendations, and to train new generations of allergists; they havevast educational resourcesandexpertisetoshare.Oursmallermembersocietieswelcometheopportunity tobene?tfromthepoolofexpertiseavailabletohelpthemdevelopthespecialtyofallergy atanationallevel;theroleofWAOhereistodistilltheavailableresourcesandtoactasan interfacefo