Alarming Rise in Allergies in France: A Public Health Crisis
PARIS
The National Allergies Collective (CNA) convened over a hundred participants – health professionals, patient associations, elected officials, researchers, and institutional representatives – at the Palais du Luxembourg on December 1, 2025, for a conference addressing the alarming progression of allergies in France.
The event, held under the sponsorship of Senator Jocelyne Antoine of the Meuse, underscored a major public health issue.
18 Million French People Affected: An Unavoidable Public Health Reality
Speakers began by noting that at least one in three French people, equating to 18 million individuals, currently suffer from an allergic disease. At least 3.6 million experience a severely disabling form1. This trend aligns with World Health Association (WHO) projections estimating that 50% of the global population could be affected by allergies by 2050, largely due to decreasing biodiversity in our surroundings.
Drs.Luc Colas and Amandine Divaret-Chauveau emphasized that allergic diseases are “increasingly frequent, severe, and complex, with numerous associated allergic pathologies and the emergence of new conditions like eosinophilic esophagitis or food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (SEIPA).”
These chronic diseases significantly impact quality of life, leading to severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis), hospitalizations (especially related to asthma), fatigue, sleep disturbances, challenges in school and the workplace, dietary restrictions, and psychological and social consequences.
Economically, the impact is substantial. margaux Sanchez of ANSES highlighted that “allergic rhinitis costs €742 per patient annually,” totaling nearly 900 million euros nationally. Allergic asthma accounts for approximately 1 billion euros, and ragweed allergy alone costs at least 59 million euros per year.Across Europe, the overall cost of allergies is estimated between 1,800 and 6,600 euros per patient annually.
A Shortage of Allergists Weakens Access to Specialized Care
The conference revealed a concerning demographic imbalance. Céline Palussière, President of the CNPA, stated that “In 2019, France had only 422 allergists and 1,429 doctors from other specialties practicing allergology.”
With an average active patient load of 1,800 per allergist, care is already strained. Meeting the needs of patients with severe allergies would require tripling the current number of allergists. For the 3.6 million severely affected individuals, nearly 2,000 specialists are needed, representing a shortfall of over 1,500 allergists.
Despite the need, only 35 interns pursue the DES in allergology. “Training 90 interns annually is necessary to prevent a lasting worsening of the shortage.”
A Specialty Based on Solid Scientific Evidence
Speakers reiterated that allergology is a medical discipline grounded in scientific data published in leading journals ( The Lancet, The New England Journal of Medicine, JACI, Allergy) and guided by official recommendations from the EAACI2, AAAAI3, and SFA4.
An example is the prevention of food allergies through early diversification, a strategy that has reduced peanut allergy incidence in the United States.
1 Source for 3.6 million figure
2 European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
3 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
4 Société Française d’Allergologie
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