Egypt, Cairo - 19 October 2026 - Opella, a global leader in consumer healthcare, and the World Allergy Organization (WAO), a worldwide federation of allergy and clinical immunology societies working to enhance global allergy education, today announced a five-year global partnership to improve how allergic diseases are recognized and managed in everyday care settings around the world.
Running from 2027 through 2031, the partnership brings together expertise within the WAO global network of allergy societies with Opella's scientific expertise and leadership in self-care to support the clinicians who manage allergic disease most often: general practitioners, pediatricians, pharmacists, nurses and primary care teams.
The announcement was made at the 32nd World Allergy Congress (WAC) in Kyoto, Japan where the two organizations also unveiled the first WAO-Opella Award for Innovative Solutions in Everyday Allergy Care. Opella and WAO will also collaborate on their first joint ‘Self-care in Allergy Report’ in December this year, shining a spotlight on the need for stronger awareness, earlier action and better support for people living with allergies.
A key focus of the collaboration will be helping drive earlier recognition of allergic disease, support best-practice management, and spotlight innovative approaches that improve patient outcomes in everyday clinical settings.
The new award will celebrate measurable improvements in how allergic disease is recognized and managed at this frontline level of care. The inaugural cycle will focus on care for children and adolescents, reflecting the significant and often under-recognized impact of allergic disease on sleep, school attendance and daily life. Entries will open in January 2027, with inaugural winners to be announced in mid-2027 and presented at the World Allergy Congress in October 2027.
Allergic diseases affect a substantial and growing proportion of the global population, with a particularly important burden in children and adolescents. Allergic rhinitis alone affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and remains frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. Its impact extends well beyond symptoms, affecting sleep, school and work performance, wellbeing and quality of life. Earlier recognition, appropriate self-care, timely professional advice and clear referral pathways can help improve outcomes and reduce the broader burden of allergic disease.
Dr. Josephine Fubara, Chief Science Officer of Opella.
“Healthcare professionals and pharmacists are often the first point of care for millions of people living with allergies. This new partnership combines Opella’s expertise in self-care with WAO’s scientific leadership to help advance allergy care globally. Through peer-to-peer healthcare professional engagement, education and health literacy initiatives, and the development of evidence-based allergy resources and care pathways, we aim to put health in people’s hands and give them the knowledge and resources they need to manage their allergies and health with confidence.”
Prof. Mário Morais-Almeida, President of the World Allergy Organization.
“Allergic diseases are often first recognized and managed far from the allergist's office – in primary care, pediatrics, pharmacies and community settings. The quality of that first interaction can shape the entire patient journey. This partnership will help bring evidence-based, WAO-endorsed guidance closer to the professionals who see these patients every day, while recognizing their essential role in patient-centered care and helping reduce gaps in access to high-quality allergy care worldwide.”
WAO will invite its global network of allergy societies to promote and participate in the partnership, alongside engagement with international key opinion leaders, with further details on upcoming health literacy programs and frontline initiatives to be shared in the months ahead.