Nov;24(5):758-64. 2. Rabe KF, Adachi M, Lai CK, Soriano JB, Vermeire PA, Weiss KB, Weiss ST Worldwide severity and control of asthma in children and adults: the global asthma insights and reality surveys. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004 Jul;114(1):40-7 3. Ryan D, van Weel C, Bousquet J, Toskala E, Ahlstedt S, Palkonen S, van den Nieuwenhof L, Zuberbier T, Wickman M, Fokkens W. Primary care: the cornerstone of diagnosis of allergic rhinitis. Allergy. 2008 Aug;63(8):981-9. 4. Enrico Compalati, Martin Penagos, Henley Karen, G. Walter Canonica. Prevalence Survey by the World Allergy Organization. Allergy Clin Immunol Int: J World Allergy Org, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 82-90 5. Haahtela T, von Hertzen L, Mäkelä M, Hannuksela M; Allergy Programme Working Group. Finnish Allergy Programme 2008-2018-- time to act and change the course. Allergy. 2008 Jun;63(6):634-45. 6. ‘Allergy: The Unmet Need’ – a blueprint for better patient care’ Royal College of Physicians 2003. 7. Pinnock H, Thomas M, Tsiligianni I et al. The International Primary Care Research Group Research Needs Statement 2010. PCRJ June 2010, 19, Supple 1, pp 1-20) 8. Potter PC, Warner JO, Pawankar RS, Kaliner MA, Del Giacco A, Rosenwasser L, for the WAO Specialty and Training Council. Recommendations for Competency in Allergy Training for Undergraduates Qualifying as Medical Practitioners: A World Allergy Organization Position Paper. World Allergy Organization J. 2009;2(8):150-189). 9. Ryan D, Levy M, Morris A, Sheikh A, Walker S. Management of allergic problems in primary care: time for a rethink? Prim Care Respir J. 2005 Aug;14(4):195-203. Epub 2005 Jul 11) 10. Levy ML, Walker S, Woods A, Sheikh A. Service evaluation of a UK primary care-based allergy clinic: quality improvement report. Prim Care Resp J. 2009;18:313–319. WAO White Book on Allergy 7 Copyright 2011 World Allergy Organization The European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA) congratulates the World Allergy Organization (WAO) for leading the effort in developing this first global WHITE BOOK on Allergy, since it brings the discussion about allergy back in Europe to the public mind and highlights the negative impact on the quality of life of people with allergies and the huge burden on national economic systems! While allergy does not enjoy the same level of public and governmental attention as other chronic diseases like cancer or cardiovascular diseases, it is certainly the most pervasive disorder globally. Allergic conditions pose a major public health problem, as it is documented in this WAO WHITE BOOK and publications of other leading bodies. They respect no national frontiers. One major risk is that allergic diseases often are not perceived as serious chronic diseases and therefore are not diagnosed early enough and not treated consequently. Due to this underestimation the global community often ignores allergy and does not act appropriately, even if the increase in global prevalence is such that between 20-30% of the world´s population suffers from some form of allergic disease. In Europe, one in four children is allergic and it is documented that 87 million people suffer from allergies. 40% of patients with allergic rhinitis have asthma and up to 80-90% of asthmatics have also allergic rhinitis. This one airway concept needs to be better understood by the lay public since allergic rhinitis and asthma greatly impact the daily life of patients and their families, as well as their performance at school, work or social activities. Taking into consideration the rising prevalence of allergies, EFA decided in 2009 to go global. EFA built the Global Allergy and Asthma Patient Platform (GAAPP). During the World Allergy Congress 2009 ( the official congress of WAO) GAAPP announced the “Declaration of Buenos Aires” on the rights and responsibilities of people with allergies, signed and supported by patient organisations and patient supporters around the world. EFA identifies low public awareness of allergies as serious chronic diseases as major issue. Therefore EFA developed a four-year awareness program calling on the media to report the alarming facts of allergies with the aim to raise awareness of respiratory, skin and food allergies as well as