The HKIA plays a significant role in training physicians and allied health professionals in the discipline of Allergy in Hong Kong
The HKIA plays a significant role in training physicians and allied health professionals in the discipline of Allergy in Hong Kong
COVID19 VACCINE ALLERGY SAFETYConsensus Statements on COVID19 Vaccine Allergy Safety (VAS) in Hong Kong have been updated and now published!
Allergy is one of the most common chronic illnesses, and includes allergic rhinitis (nasal allergy), ocular allergy, atopic dermatitis, asthma, food allergy and insect allergy.
Do you sneeze, have itchy and runny nose when the season changes? Do you suffer symptoms of itching after eating certain foods? These might be signs of allergy.
The Annual General Meeting for this year took place on 18 November 2025 at Kiangsu Chekiang and Shanghai Residents (HK). Council members and attendees enjoyed an engaging evening. Please <click here> for the meeting highlights.
The HKIA Awards Presentation Ceremony was held on 18 October 2025 with the 13th Hong Kong Allergy Convention. For full list of awardees and their citations, please <click here> to view.
Review of monoclonal antibody therapies in asthma and allergic diseases - a new paradigm for precision medicine
<click
here for the news>
Nightmares, hallucinations, depression: side effects of asthma drug prescribed to children for minor coughs and hay fever
<click
here for the news>
2020 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: Characteristics of Chinese fish-allergic patients: Findings from double-blind placebo-controlled food challenges
<click
here for the news>
HKIA presented a Dinner Symposium on "Assessment and Management for Secondary Immunodeficiency in Adults: An Immunologist's Perspective" on 26 May 2026 (Tuesday) at Cordis Hong Kong Hotel.
The evening symposium featured expert insights and practical demonstrations from leading clinicians in immunology. Renowned speakers Prof. Suran Fernando (Australia), Dr. Philip H. Li (Hong Kong), and Ms. Candy Chan (Hong Kong) shared valuable perspectives on the assessment and management of secondary immunodeficiency in adults, offering both clinical expertise and real-world applications.
Please click HERE for the event highlights.
HKIA and HKUMed co-hosted a seminar entitled "Trends in Anaphylaxis & Multiplex Testing".
This hybrid session reviewed current and emerging trends in the diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis, with a focus on component-resolved and multiplex IgE diagnostics to support personalized, evidence-based clinical practice. Discussions led by Dr. Philip Li, Dr. Eszter Sarzinszky, and Dr. Marco HK Ho highlighted evolving epidemiological patterns in Hong Kong and beyond, as well as strategies to enhance clinical pathways, improve risk assessment, and optimize patient outcomes.
Please click HERE for the event highlights.
The MASTER Certificate Course on "Multidisciplinary Allergy Services: Treatment, Education and Research", co-hosted by the Hong Kong Institute of Allergy and the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, HKUMed, was successfully held on 7 March 2026, bringing together physicians and allied health professionals committed to advancing allergy care in Hong Kong.
Against the backdrop of a rapidly growing allergy disease burden and an ongoing shortage of specialist services, the course addressed an urgent local need by focusing on capacity building through multidisciplinary collaboration. Drawing on Hong Kong's successful experience in joint allergy clinics, the programme highlighted how coordinated care involving physicians, nurses and pharmacists can enhance service delivery and patient outcomes.
Participants benefited from a comprehensive programme combining didactic lectures and hands-on practical sessions. Experienced physicians and allied health leaders shared practical insights into the establishment and operation of multidisciplinary clinics across key allergy domains, including drug, food, paediatric, skin and airway allergy. Real-world case discussions and interactive sessions enabled participants to exchange experiences and translate evidence-based principles into clinical practice. The course also fostered meaningful cross-disciplinary networking, laying the groundwork for future collaboration and supporting the development of new and expanded allergy services across Hong Kong. Feedback from participants highlighted the course's relevance, practicality and timely focus on multidisciplinary service models.
Please click HERE for the event highlights.
The collaboration between HKIA, HKUMed, and HKSH co-hosted a seminar on "Drug Allergy: Clinical Practices Across the Pacific" on 22 January 2026 in Hong Kong.
This seminar brought together leading experts in the field of drug allergy to compare contemporary approaches to diagnosis and management, with a particular focus on in vitro testing. The seminar also highlighted state-of-the-art methodologies, regional differences in clinical practice, and emerging innovations in allergy diagnostics. Through open dialogue, industry experts Prof. Elizabeth Phillips from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, USA and Dr. Elaine Au from Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong shared real-world experience. They discussed the strengths and limitations of current testing strategies and explored opportunities for harmonization and collaboration in advancing safe, evidence-based care for patients with history of severe drug allergies.
Please click HERE for the event highlights.
The 13th Hong Kong Allergy Convention (HKAC 2025) was successfully held on 18-19 October 2025 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre with the continuous support from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) and the World Allergy Organization (WAO).
With the theme of "Allergy Beyond Borders", a series of translational presentations, where laboratory discoveries directly inform clinical practice, and real-world clinical challenges inspire new research directions was conducted. It connected local innovation with global application for the better allergy care.
The Organizing Committee would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Guest of Honour, supporting organizations, all the speakers and sponsors for their unwavering support.
Please click HERE for the event highlights.
The EAACI Hong Kong Allergy School 2025, a collaborative effort between the Hong Kong Institute of Allergy (HKIA) and the European Academy of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (EAACI), took place successfully on 27-29 August 2025 in Hong Kong. This event marked a significant milestone in allergy education and global collaboration.
Themed "East Meets West", this groundbreaking event brought together the expertise from both Eastern and Western regions. More than 30 distinguished global experts shared cutting-edge insights in the fields of allergy and clinical immunology, enriching the knowledge base of all participants.
One of the highlights of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between HKIA and EAACI. This agreement symbolizes a crucial step towards fostering collaboration and enhancing the exchange of knowledge and resources in the realm of allergy and clinical immunology. It signifies a commitment to furthering advancements in the field through mutual cooperation and shared expertise.
Please click HERE for the event highlights.
The Hong Kong Institute of Allergy CSU Symposium, titled "Reimagining CSU Management" was successfully held on 26 August 2025 (Tuesday) at Renaissance Hong Kong Harbour View Hotel, Wanchai.
This event provided the latest advancements and insights in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) management by renowned experts Prof. Zuotao Zhao and Prof. Martin Metz.
Please click HERE for the event highlights.
The Hong Kong Institute of Allergy and the Hong Kong Society of Rheumatology jointly hosted a Dinner Summit on "IL-5 in T2 Inflammation - Transforming Care in EGPA" on February 24, 2025 (Monday) at the Hyatt Regency in Tsim Sha Tsui.
An exceptional lineup of speakers provided updates on the shared eosinophilic pathways in EGPA and airway diseases, while reviewing the targeted benefits of mepolizumab for both individual and co-morbid conditions.
The HKIA e-Newsletter (Fall 2024 issue) was launched in November 2024. Click here to read the newsletter.
PRAISE-HK means Personalized Real-time Air Quality Informatics System for Exposure – Hong Kong. It is a new mobile app launched by the HKUST Institute for Environment. It aims to help users reduce their exposure to outdoor air pollution. HKIA is in full support to this app. Hopefully, it will help build Hong Kong into a world-class smart and healthy city.
HKIA's analysis of the current provision of Allergy services has just been abstracted online by the Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29223147/. The full paper is published in the Journal's December issue.
As expected there is an overall unmet need of Allergy specialists in Hong Kong. Importantly there is an imbalance between adult and paediatric allergists with 5 fold more paediatric allergists relative to their adult counterparts per head of population. Unless this is rectified there will be very serious problems as the numbers of allergic children outgrow paediatric care.
Please read the paper and if you agree please update your managers and help us to lobby for an expansion of Allergy services in Hong Kong.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of HKIA, the council has published 2 anniversary books, one on institute's development and the other one for public education on allergy. Please click the below to download the books.
<20th Anniversary Book>
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Our Visiting Professional Programmes (VPPs), also known as attachments, are offered to clinicians who wish to undertake a period of observership or undertake hands on clinical practice and experience Guy's and St Thomas' in operation as a quaternary London teaching hospital. Programmes typically range from six weeks to twelve months. <click here for more information>
"World Energy Outlook Special Report on Energy and Air Pollution 2016" by the International Energy Agency has been published.
<Click here for more details>
Please be advised that Environmental Protection Department will launch a video series entitled "Clean Air and You" which are available in three languages, including Cantonese, English and Putonghua. You can download the episodes from their website at:
http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/
english/environmentinhk/air/
prob_solutions/clean_air_you.html
