MPs push for statutory infant allergy guidance in new Bill

MPs are pushing for new legislation that would prompt a review of NHS infant allergy guidance, which they argue is currently inconsistent and confusing to parents.

The new Private Members’ Bill aiming to introduce statutory guidance for allergy prevention in babies and infants was debated in the House of Commons earlier this month.

The Babies and Infants (Allergy Guidance) Bill, brought forward by Labour MP Becky Gittins, would require the health secretary to publish official advice on infant feeding, including the safe introduction of allergenic foods such as peanuts and eggs.

Currently, NICE guidance on food allergy (CG116) focuses only on diagnosis and management once allergy is suspected, and explicitly excludes prevention. Other bodies – including the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) and the British Dietetic Association – have issued non-statutory advice recommending early introduction of allergenic foods for some infants, based on evidence from landmark studies such as the LEAP and EAT trials.

Meanwhile, NHS parent-facing advice simply states that solid foods should be introduced ‘at around six months’, without detailed prevention guidance.

This patchwork of recommendations means parents and professionals often receive inconsistent messages, MPs argue. In the Commons debate on 2 September, Ms Gittins highlighted that ‘better addressing allergy at primary care level is a relatively simple but hugely effective way of moving the allergy conversation towards prevention’.

If passed, the Bill would place a legal duty on the health secretary to issue national guidance, which GPs, health visitors and other professionals would be expected to follow. Campaigners say this could reduce the rising prevalence of food allergy in children and ease the growing burden on primary care.

Allergy already places a significant burden on the NHS, MPs noted during the debate. Around one in 20 GP consultations are linked to allergies, with treatments accounting for around a tenth of the GP prescribing budget. Half of UK children are affected by allergies, and as many as 40% of the population will experience an allergic condition at some point in their lives. The direct cost to the NHS has been estimated at over £1bn each year.

Allergy UK has welcomed the Bill, saying it could help reduce confusion.

The charity said: ‘Currently, there is no statutory allergy guidance for parents and carers, which has led to inconsistent advice being given to families across the UK. Clearer, more consistent guidance for parents and carers on safe weaning and the introduction of allergens would help to reduce the risk of food allergy in babies and infants.’

The Bill has had its first reading and was scheduled for a second reading in mid-September, though its further progress has yet to be confirmed.