Discovery Channel’s “An Emerging Epidemic: Food Allergies in America” Examines Challenges of Living with Food Allergies and New Hope for a Cure

McLean, VA (PRWEB) September 03, 2013

Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) is proud to announce the premiere of the Discovery Channel’s new medical documentary, “An Emerging Epidemic: Food Allergies in America,” which seeks to raise awareness of food allergies as a serious and growing public health issue by telling the stories of families living with this potentially life-threatening disease. The program was supported by an educational grant from FARE and Mylan Specialty L.P.

Up to 15 million people in the U.S. have a food allergy, and a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the number of children with food allergies has grown by more than 50 percent since the late 1990s. The hour-long documentary, narrated by Steve Carell, explores the science of food allergy, what it is like to live with the disease, and the state of food allergy research, including the status of various treatments under study.

The documentary will premiere Sept. 7 at 8 a.m. ET/PT and encore on Sept. 21 at 8 a.m. ET/PT. Check local listings for details.

“We are proud to partner with the Discovery Channel to produce this important documentary that tells the story of millions of Americans who are managing food allergies and anaphylaxis every day, and details the progress being made to develop therapies that can help prevent life-threatening reactions,” said John L. Lehr, chief executive officer of FARE. “Our hope is that this program will increase awareness of food allergy as a serious and growing public health issue, and educate viewers about the potentially life-threatening nature of the disease.”

Filmmakers traveled across the country to profile individuals and families who are managing food allergies to illustrate the daily challenges they face and the solutions they employ to address those challenges. Some of the nation’s leading food allergy experts are interviewed in the documentary, including Drs. Hugh Sampson of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Kari Nadeau of Stanford University, Ruchi Gupta of Northwestern University and Hemant Sharma of Children’s National Medical Center.

The documentary will be available for viewing at http://www.discoverychannelpatienteducation.com and available for download on iTunes. The documentary and additional teacher and classroom materials will be made available through Discovery Education, the country’s largest provider of multimedia educational content for the classroom.

To help amplify awareness of food allergies, FARE is encouraging supporters to host viewing parties of the documentary across the country. More information is available at http://www.foodallergy.org/emerging-epidemic.

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. Formed in 2012 as a result of a merger between the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network and the Food Allergy Initiative, FARE’s mission is to ensure the safety and inclusion of individuals with food allergies while relentlessly seeking a cure. We do this by providing evidence-based education and resources, undertaking advocacy at all levels of government, increasing awareness of food allergy as a serious public health issue and investing in world-class research that advances treatment and understanding of food allergies. For more information, please visit http://www.foodallergy.org.

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