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The Allergy Epidemic

By 2025, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) predicts half of Europe will suffer from at least one allergy.


Josh Wilde speaks to those affected and explores the reasons behind this startling increase.

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documentary below

Video will go live at 15:00 GMT on Thursday 13 December 2018

"We all thought it was really professionally put together and made some very clear and important points. It was a pleasure to be involved."

Doctor Ramesh Kurukulaaratchy

Principal Research Fellow and Consultant in Respiratory Medicine and Allergy

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The People Behind the Documentary

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Josh Wilde

Documentary Producer

Josh is a final year Multimedia Journalism student at Bournemouth University. He is producing this documentary as part of his course. His previous work includes broadcast documentaries titled 'Face It, It's Racist' and 'The Price of One Punch'.

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Dr Michel Lajeunesse

Leading Allergy Specialist and Paediatric Consultant

Dr Michel is an accredited European Paediatric Allergy Specialist and has also researched allergy treatment. He spoke about what happens when someone has an allergic reaction, why allergy numbers are rising and the impact of the EpiPen shortage.

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Dr Ramesh Kurukulaaratchy

Principal Research Fellow and Consultant in Respiratory Medicine and Allergy

Dr Ramesh is involved in a number of cutting edge research projects at the University Hospital Southampton. He spoke about where we are now with allergy research and its future, and showed us round one of his clinics.

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Farah Pop

Fashion Stylist and Allergy Sufferer

Farah is a 29-year-old Manchester fashion stylist who spoke to Josh about living with severe allergies. She described the way it's impacted her life and how times are changing as allergies become more recognised.

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Jess Cousins

Scriptwriting Student and Allergy Sufferer

Jess is a second year Scriptwriting student at Bournemouth University. She talks about having an allergic reaction and her wait for an Epipen which could be life-saving in an emergency.

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Mylan Pharmaceutical Company

Major UK Supplier of EpiPens

Mylan supply EpiPens to adults and juniors in the UK. Since May 2018, an manufacturing issue has led to a shortage. Despite repeated attempts, Mylan refused the request of an interview. However, they did provide a statement which will feature in the documentary.

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  • Writer's pictureJosh Wilde

Uncovering Stories

This documentary will focus on the stories of people who have been affected by or seen the affects of severe allergies. It is therefore vital for me to speak to as many people as possible.


Jess Cousins spoke to me about managing her allergies and her wait for an EpiPen.

I interviewed a Manchester-based fashion stylist and a film studies degree student about their struggles with allergies and how they have been affected by the EpiPen shortage. I also spoke to Dr Michel Lajeunesse, a leading allergy specialist and paediatric consultant, to find out why allergy numbers are rising.




I went out on the streets of central London to ask members of the public how many people they think have allergies in the UK before revealing the true number. This will show whether people are aware of the scale of the problem.


Even talking about this documentary with colleagues, friends and people who have reached out on social media has allowed me to build a better picture of what it's like to live with allergies. All these stories contribute to my understanding and help to build a more informed and impactful piece.

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