Atlantic County Times

Congressman Van Drew introduced H.R. 9382 today, a bill aimed at designating alpha-gal as a major food allergen. Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to red meat or other products containing alpha-gal, affecting hundreds of thousands of Americans.

"Designating alpha-gal as a major allergen is a big step in the right direction for both food safety and allergy management," said Congressman Van Drew. "Every day, thousands of Americans deal with this serious condition, living with constant uncertainty because they cannot always determine if their food or medical products contain alpha-gal. By requiring labels to clearly list it as a major allergen, we will give those affected the peace of mind they deserve and help make managing their condition a lot less stressful."

"For people with AGS, hidden ingredients make finding safe food a constant struggle," said Sharon Forsyth, Executive Director of the Alpha-gal Alliance Action Fund. "We strongly support this urgently needed bill, which will ensure that the half a million Americans with AGS have access to safe food options and save our healthcare system millions in emergency medical care. With alpha-gal rapidly expanding into new regions and known cases doubling about every twelve months, it is vital that this bill is passed as soon as possible."

Click here to read the full text of the bill.