EAACI/GA2LEN/DGAKI Allergy School “State-of-the-art in drug hypersensitivity”
24– 26 July 2009, Fischbachau near Munich, Germany
The EAACI-GA2LEN Summer School in Germany took place in the heart of the Bavarian Alps in Fischbachau near Munich. The school was organized in collaboration with the EAACI Drug Hypersensitivity Interest Group, a group of experts also forming the European Network on Drug Allergy (ENDA) and German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI). The topic was “State-of-the-art in drug hypersensitivity”. Within three days of active discussion, practical sessions and casual interaction, 59 participants from 17 countries and 13 faculty members worked out the main goal of the meeting on performing and optimizing diagnosis and therapy of drug hypersensitivity.
There were several fascinating sessions performed by the well-known experts in the field who engaged the attention of the complete audience : “The background behind: understanding the mechanisms of drug hypersensitivity with implications for testing”, “How to make a test plan incorporating in vivo and in vitro tests”, “Prevention and treatment of drug hypersensitivity”. The list of speakers included best professionals representing different approaches but common attitude to drug hypersensitivity: Werner Pichler (Bern, Switzerland), Pascal Demoly (Montpellier, France), Johannes Ring (Munich, Germany), Knut Brockow (Munich, Germany), Miguel Blanca (Malaga, Spain), Munir Pirmohamed (Liverpool, UK), Patrizia Bonadonna (Verona, Italy), Axel Trautmann (Würzburg, Germany), Kathrin Scherer (Basel, Switzerland), Stefan Wöhrl (Vienna, Austria), Werner Aberer (Graz, Austria), Martine Grosber (Munich, Germany) and Franziska Ruëff (Munich,Germany).
The audience included fellows in training as well as experienced specialists from all over the world. Such diversity favored active discussions and sharing experiences. Especially the case report session gave many participants an opportunity to show their everyday work, share their problems and look for the solution.
The unique and absolutely successful practical sessions on performing different skin and provocation tests gave a rare opportunity to learn on the pig’s legs as well as on the colleague’s or speaker’s arms how to perform skin testing practically. Everybody was really dedicated.
The social program included an excursion and a walk to the top of the Schliersbergalm with the exceptional view on the nearby Lake Schliersee and tasting of typical Bavarian apple pie and cheesecake with ice cream. The excursion was followed by the extraordinary Bavarian evening with a lot of beer and an amazing performance of whipcrackers playing strange instruments. Both participants and speakers proved that they could feel like native Bavarian citizens.
The 1st Drug Allergy School was a highly successful meeting. The number of participant who wanted to take part in this event nearly doubled the number of available places which shows a huge interest in the field and an urgent need for a next drug allergy school.
Milena Sokolowska
Official Representative of EAACI Immunology Section Junior Members and Affiliates Working Group.
Last updated 06 November 2014