Allergy Action Ireland Urges National Rollout of Oral Immunotherapy Following Success at Cork University Hospital
Key Insights
Cork University Hospital's Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) (search) programme has treated 560 patients since May 2025, with over 60% successfully transitioning into active treatment.
Allergy Action Ireland (search) met with Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill on 27 May to advocate for nationwide expansion of OIT beyond the current under-fives cohort.
Emergency department admissions for anaphylaxis (search) have nearly doubled over the past decade, while food allergies (search) affect an estimated one to two children in every classroom.
A groundbreaking paediatric allergy treatment programme at Cork University Hospital (CUH) has become the focal point of a national advocacy push, with patient group Allergy Action Ireland (search) (AAI) urging the Irish Government to expand access to Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) (search) for children across the country.
The CUH programme, which commenced in May 2025, has already seen 560 patients, with more than 60% of children tested successfully transitioning into active OIT treatment — a regimen that builds tolerance to allergens and significantly reduces the risk of severe allergic reactions. Families from Cork, Dublin, Waterford, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Kildare, Portlaoise, Roscommon, Wexford, and Galway have all attended the Seahorse Day Unit for treatment.
Marie Watson, Paediatric Strategic Development Manager at CUH, said: "Food allergies (search) can have a big impact on everyday life and initiatives like this give families hope and support. We are proud to welcome children from all over Ireland to CUH and to see so many healthcare professionals, students and volunteers working together to make a positive difference."
Meeting with the Health Minister
On 27 May, Allergy Action Ireland (search) representatives — including parent advocates Sheila Downes, Ruth Kidney, and Julie Rothwell — alongside consultant paediatric allergist Dr Juan Trujillo, met with Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD to present the real-world impact of OIT and call for a national rollout. The meeting, facilitated by Senator Evanne Ní Chuilinn, was also attended by Interim Chief Medical Officer Mary Horgan and the Department of Health's Head of Medicines Pricing and Reimbursement, David Cullinane.
The current CUH programme is focused on children under five, but AAI is pressing for expansion to all age groups. Julie Rothwell, parent representative with Allergy Action Ireland (search), captured the urgency: "Every decision we make as parents is shaped by risk — from school lunches to birthday parties. Knowing there is a treatment that could make our children safer, and not having access to it, is incredibly difficult. The work being done by Dr Trujillo and his team in Cork is giving families real hope. We need to see that level of care available to children over five."
The Growing Burden of Food Allergy
The advocacy comes against a backdrop of rising anaphylaxis (search) rates. Emergency department admissions for anaphylaxis have nearly doubled over the past decade, and food allergies (search) now affect an estimated one to two children in every classroom, according to Allergy Action Ireland (search).
OIT involves the carefully supervised introduction of very small amounts of an allergen, with doses gradually increased over time to help patients build tolerance. The treatment has the potential to transform the lives of children and families living with food allergies (search) by reducing the constant fear of a serious reaction during day-to-day life.
Beyond OIT: A Call for Comprehensive Allergy Services
Allergy Action Ireland (search) is calling on the Government to go further than OIT expansion alone. The organisation's demands include the introduction of additional allergy treatments such as Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) (search) and Omalizumab, improved access to specialist care, and the accelerated development of a coordinated national allergy service. The group also advocates for a standardised approach to clinical support in educational and childcare settings.
The organisation described the May meeting as an important step forward but stressed that urgent progress is needed to ensure equitable access to care for families across Ireland. Allergy Action Ireland (search)'s broader mission includes establishing a national strategy that ensures access to life-changing treatments alongside legislative and policy change to recognise allergies as a serious public health issue.