Nasal polyps are small growths on the lining inside the nose and sinuses. They are not cancerous and are usually soft and painless. They are shaped like hanging grapes or teardrops. Other names for this condition include:

• Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP)
• Nasal polyposis
• Nasal polyp syndrome
  
  

Nasal polyps can have a major impact on a person’s quality of life. They can make it difficult to breathe. They can also reduce your sense of smell, which can cause safety concerns.

If you have asthma, you have a greater chance of having nasal polyps. This is often due to type 2 inflammation.

April 24, 2025, is Global CRSwNP Awareness Day. This year’s theme is “New Ambitions in Care.” In honor of this day, here is some information to help you learn about and manage nasal polyps.

Do I Have Nasal Polyps?

Want to learn more about nasal polyps? Watch or listen to our AAFAnoon Chats podcast episode, “Do I Have Nasal Polyps?” In this episode, Kathleen M. Buchheit, MD, explains what nasal polyps are and why people with asthma or allergies have a greater chance of getting them. She also talks about current treatment and management options.

Watch on YouTube

AAFAnoon Chats is brought to you by theAsthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). It features experts who discuss topics impacting our community. Episodes are available onSpotifyandYouTube. Don’t miss our future episodes. Remember to like and subscribe to our channels.

Where Can I Find Nasal Polyps Resources?

AAFA offers resources on nasal polyps to help you learn more about signs and symptoms, management, and treatment options.

• Nasal Polyps Educational Webinars: AAFA offers a variety of free webinars for people with nasal polyps and their caregivers. Check out our programs.
• A Guide to Nasal Polyps: A guide with information about managing nasal polyps.
• Life with Nasal Polyps report: A report published by AAFA. It uses insights from a patient/caregiver survey to identify and provide opportunities for improving nasal polyp care in the United States.

This content was produced independently by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and made possible in part by support from Amgen, Sanofi, and Regeneron.

Eating out with food allergies in the U.S. can be challenging. We need food allergen labeling laws for restaurants to help protect people with food allergies and prevent severe allergic reactions.

In this webinar, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) – co-sponsor of the ADDE Act, California SB 68 – and other advocacy leaders will talk about:

• The current reality of dining out with food allergies
• AAFA’s goal to improve food allergen labeling on menus
• California’s ADDE Act
• Advocate voices
• How you can take action

Food Allergen Labeling in Restaurants
Thursday, April 24, 2025, 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT)

REGISTER NOW

Presented by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America:

• Kenneth Mendez, President and CEO
  
  
• Jenna Riemenschneider, Vice President of Advocacy and Policy
  
  
• Alexa Jordan, Advocacy and Policy Coordinator

And featuring the following panelists:

• Robyn Huey Lao
  Addie’s mom and co-sponsor of the ADDE Act, California SB 68
  
  
• Lianne Mandelbaum
  Founder
  The No Nut Traveler
• Thomas Silvera
  Elijah-Alavi Foundation
  
  
• Toni Taylor
  Executive Director
  Allergy Advocates New York
  
  
• Jon Terry
  Co-founder
  Allergy Advocates New York

Welcome to our April research update! Getting involved with research is an important way to impact asthma and allergy treatments, education, and awareness.

This month, we are highlighting clinical trials, surveys, and news on:

• Asthma
• Nasal polyps
• Insect sting allergy
• Topical steroid withdrawal

Note: The links below will take you to external websites.

Latest Asthma and Allergy News

Asthma

Differences in Asthma Care Cost Barriers by Insurance Status

Health insurance plays a big role in whether someone with asthma can afford their medicines and get the care they need. A recent study looked at how insurance affects the cost barriers of asthma care. Researchers compared costs for people with full-year insurance to costs for people with little or no coverage using 2019–2021 data on nearly 26,000 people with asthma.

While most (86%) people had full insurance, people with partial or no coverage had more issues with cost. Nearly half of the people had trouble paying for care, compared to about 11% of fully insured people with asthma.

Even with full insurance, some groups struggled more. Non-Hispanic Black people with asthma were almost twice as likely as White people to have cost issues for primary care. Women had more trouble affording asthma medicine than men.

For fully insured patients, older age, higher income, and longer time since symptoms helped reduce costs. People who recently went to the emergency room or stayed in the hospital were twice as likely to have trouble affording care.

The study shows that while uninsured people face greater challenges, many fully insured people also struggle with costs. Targeted support is needed to improve asthma care access for everyone.

Awareness of Wildfire Smoke Among U.S. Adults with and without Asthma

Each year, wildfires rage across the United States. The smoke from wildfires affects air quality and can make asthma symptoms worse. A recent study looked at how aware adults in the U.S. are of wildfire smoke in their area, comparing people with and without asthma. To compare awareness, the researchers also matched people's ZIP codes with wildfire smoke levels over the previous year.

Almost all (98%) respondents lived in areas affected by at least 1 day of medium or heavy wildfire smoke. They had, an average of 16 days of major smoke. But, only 19% of adults were aware of the wildfire smoke.

People with asthma were more likely to notice wildfire smoke than people without asthma, especially in areas with more or heavier smoke. Still, awareness was low overall.

The findings show that many people may not notice when wildfire smoke is in the air. This suggests a need for better public education about wildfire smoke and its health risks.

Insect Sting Allergy

Cholesterol Medicines May Raise Risk of Severe Allergic Reactions to Insect Stings

A recent study found that people who takemedicines to lowercholesterol, also called lipid-lowering medications (LLM), may be at higher risk for severe allergic reactions to insect stings. These medicines help lower cholesterol,but may also reduce a natural substance in the body that helps control allergic reactions. This iscalled PAF-AH. With less PAF-AH, allergic reactions might be more serious.

The researchers looked at medical records of 730 people in the U.S. and Canada from 2010 to 2023. About 12% of them were taking cholesterol medicine. Of all thepeople, 27% had severe reactions to insect stings. But amongpeopletaking cholesterol medicine, 44% had severe reactions. After considering other health conditions, the researchers found that people taking thesemedicineswere almosttwo timesas likely to have a severe reaction.

This is the first study to showa real-worldlinkand suggests doctors should be aware of this possible risk.But,more research is needed on this topic. Also,people should not stop taking cholesterol medicine without talking to their doctor.These medicines are important for heart health.

Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW)

New Diagnostic Criteria for Topical Steroid Withdrawal

Steroid medicines that you put on your skin (topical) are a common treatment for eczema. But, using them for a long time and then stopping can cause a condition called topical steroid withdrawal, or TSW. Like eczema, TSW causes symptoms like redness, burning, and itching.

Recently, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) is a separate condition from eczema. In their study, the researchers found that people with TSW had high levels of a compound called NAD+. NAD+ is a form of vitamin B3. Too much can cause skin inflammation. Using skin cells and mice, they showed that blocking NAD+ could help reduce symptoms. In a small study, people with TSW who took medicines that block NAD+ production felt better after a few months.

Using this information, the researchers also created guidelines to help doctors better recognize and diagnose TSW. This research may lead to better treatments. But more studies are needed to fully understand the condition and its causes.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laid off staff of critical health programs, including:

• National Asthma Control Program (NACP)

• National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH)

• Climate and Health Program

• Office on Smoking and Health (OSH)

• National Institute on Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
  
  

Why the NACP Matters

Nearly 28 million people in the United States have asthma and nearly 10 people die each day from this disease.

The NACP supported 29 state health departments and 4 non-governmental organizations to ensure the availability of and access to guidelines-based medical management and pharmacotherapy for people with asthma.

NACP-funded work includes programs that address the EXHALE strategy. EXHALE includes the following elements:

• Education on asthma self-management

• eXtinguishing smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke

• Home visits for trigger reduction and asthma self-management education (AS-ME)

• Achievement of guidelines-based medical management

• Linkages and coordination of care

• Environmental policies or best practices to reduce indoor and outdoor asthma triggers
  
  

These programs do things like home assessments, support tobacco cessation, help connect people with a provider and prescription for asthma medicine, help schools implement asthma management plans, and much more.

The NACP Gets Results

This program provided significant return on investment – saving more than $70 in health care costs for every $1 spent on the program.

This program is vital to asthma education, prevention, and research. By working with state health departments on community-based care models, the NACP has been highly effective in its aim to reduce the number of deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency department (ED) visits. Asthma-related death rates went down significantly after the program's implementation: asthma-related deaths dropped by more than 45% between 1999 and 2018.

With no staff to support the program, it is unlikely that the CDC will open up new cooperative agreements to support asthma health. Current funding for states and NGOs is only approved through Aug. 31, 2025. If funding is not continued, many programs are at risk nationwide.

An example of the success of work funded by the NACP includes this from Kentucky:

Feedback from evaluation surveys for the 2021 Kentucky Asthma Partnership Summit Series presentation, "School Stock Albuterol Policy," and the 2022 Kentucky Asthma Partnership Asthma Symposium presentation, "Caring for Students with Asthma in School," along with the protocol development and distribution, showed a 97% increase in improved school nurse knowledge of asthma care changes, medications, and administration.

What Asthma Health Programs Does the NACP Support?

The NACP funds asthma programs in these 29 state/territory health departments: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington DC, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Additionally, NACP funds work by AAFA, the American Lung Association, the National Environmental Education Foundation, and the Asthma and Allergy Network.

AAFA’s funded work includes our Community Health Interventions to Advance Self-Management of Asthma (CHI-ASMA) program. For the past 5 years, CHI-ASMA has supported home assessments, school management of asthma, improving asthma care for military service members, improving asthma care during pregnancy, continuing education for health care professionals, AAFA's free Ask the Allergist service, and public awareness campaigns to help improve asthma symptom identification and treatment.

“AAFA’s CHI-ASMA program provides critical, evidence-based asthma and allergy educational resources,” said Melanie Carver, AAFA Chief Mission Officer and CHI-ASMA Principal Investigator. “Without the support of the CDC’s National Asthma Control Program, this critical work with national impact is at risk.”

What AAFA Is Doing

We are speaking out and fighting back! We urge HHS and Secretary Kennedy to restore this vital program as it supports the aims of the Make America Healthy Again initiative. The NACP has a proven track record of preventing deaths and reducing health care costs. The NACP is a program that is budgeted by Congress.

Join us in asking Congress to protect this critical program!

AAFA is also raising public and media awareness about the program cuts:

• A Devastating Blow to Respiratory Health

• Word in Black: HHS Cuts Mean Uneasy Breathing in Black Communities
  
  

Other media stories about the NACP cuts include:

• CDC Effectively Shutters Unit Handling Asthma Control

• Where Jobs, Programs are Being Cut in Nation’s Health Agencies

• CDC Layoffs Cut Lifesaving Health Programs
  

AAFA is leading a group of key stakeholders to both push for restoration of the NACP and to develop solutions to fill the gap left by the NACP’s uncertain future.

Welcome to our March research update! Getting involved with research is an important way to impact asthma and allergy treatments, education, and awareness.

This month, we are highlighting clinical trials, surveys, and news on:

• Black teens with asthma
• Eosinophilic asthma
• Nasal polyps clinical trial and survey
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• Dust mite allergy treatment
• Chronic hives
• Eczema
  
  

Note: The links below will take you to external websites.

Surveys

Nasal Polyps Research Opportunity

Exafield US, specialists in recruiting patients for scientific studies, are currently looking for people with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.

The purpose of this study is to understand patient experiences of Chronic Rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and how it affects their everyday lives on a day-to-day basis. The study does not involve treatments; we are only interested in opinions.

Participants would participate in a 30-minute survey (no phones or tablets) and will be paid for their time. Confirmation of diagnosis will be required to confirm eligibility.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps and are interested in participating or would like more information about the study, please contact Britney at: jiron@exafield.com.

Sponsored by Exafield

LEARN MORE

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Congress is considering making big changes and cuts to the Medicaid program. These changes could make it harder for people to access insurance coverage and health care services.

Nearly half of all children with asthma in the U.S. are covered by Medicaid or the related Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Medicaid is also essential for many low-income adults, and adults with disabilities including asthma. For low-income adults and children with allergies to food or other allergens, Medicaid helps them get the care and treatments they need.

Because of Medicaid’s crucial role for people living with asthma and allergies, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) strongly supports the Medicaid program and opposes changes such as:

• Block grants
• Spending caps
• Work reporting requirements
  
  

These and other measures would reduce or limit care and coverage for millions of people. In addition to harming the health of individuals, it would also strain the entire health care ecosystem.

What Is Medicaid and Why Is It Important?

Medicaid is a federal-state insurance program that provides health insurance coverage and long-term services. It supports about 80 million people in the United States.¹ Medicaid covers nearly 4 in 10 children and 1 in 5 people overall, including:

• 7.2 million seniors, among them 756,000 nursing home residents²
• 36.8 million children³
• 14 million rural Americans⁴
• 9.9 million adults with disabilities⁵
  
  

The federal government sets minimum eligibility standards. But states may expand coverage beyond these minimum requirements. For example, in many states, low-income adults qualify for Medicaid coverage whether or not they have children.

Medicaid is a very effective program. It has helped reduce the number of uninsured people in the U.S. from 45 million to 29 million.⁶ Medicaid is also effective in improving access to care, in supporting financial stability among low-income families, and in improving health outcomes.⁷

Each state runs its own Medicaid program. They have broad guidelines set at the federal level. Most states have Medicaid managed care programs. They contract with health insurance companies to provide care for enrollees. CHIP covers additional low-income children.

What Benefits Does Medicaid cover?

Medicaid covers a broad range of services. All states must cover certain required services, including:

• Doctor visits
• Hospital services
• Rural health clinic and federally qualified health center visits
• Early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services for children
  
  

All states have also opted to cover prescription drugs. Other key Medicaid services covered in many states include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech, hearing, and language disorder services.

Why Is Medicaid Important for People with Asthma and Allergies?

Almost 28 million Americans – nearly 1 in 12 – have asthma. Medicaid is a very important source of care for our community.

• Nearly half (47%) of U.S. children with asthma are enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.
• Adults enrolled in Medicaid are 2 times as likely to have asthma as adults with private insurance.⁸
  
  

People with food or other allergies who live at low-income levels face barriers to appropriate care and medicine.⁹ Medicaid is a vital bridge across these gaps.

Why Does the Congressional Budget Resolution Threaten Medicaid Coverage?

The House of Representatives passed a budget resolution directing the Energy & Commerce (E&C) Committee to cut at least $880 billion from programs it oversees, which includes Medicaid. This means lawmakers are proposing major funding cuts that could force states to cut Medicaid benefits, limit who qualifies, or reduce payments to health care providers.

These cuts could seriously impact people with asthma and allergies who rely on Medicaid to pay for doctor visits, medicines, and emergency care. If Congress moves forward with these changes, millions of people may become uninsured. This puts people’s health at risk as well as the stability of health care services. The cost of providing care to uninsured people will pass on to all patients. Hospitals and clinics in rural areas may close, making it harder for all people to access care.

How Can I Help Protect Medicaid?

If you or someone you know relies on Medicaid for asthma or allergy care, we want to hear your story. Please share your experiences with us! We are working to meet with members of Congress and want to make sure they understand how important Medicaid is for our community.

You can help make a difference by sharing your story and speaking up for Medicaid.

Contact AAFA's advocacy team to get involved and protect Medicaid.

CONTACT AAFA

Where Can I Learn More About Medicaid?

Learn more about Medicaid by visiting these websites:

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: https://www.cms.gov/ or http://medicaid.gov
• Kaiser Family Foundation: https://www.kff.org/
• Families USA: https://familiesusa.org/

References
1. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2025, January 31). Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.kff.org
2. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Seniors & Medicare and Medicaid Enrollees. Medicaid.gov. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/seniors-medicare-and-medicaid-enrollees/index.html
3. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2025, January 31). Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.kff.org
4. Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). (2021, April). Medicaid and Rural Health. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.macpac.gov
5. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2020). Medicaid Enrollees Who Qualify for Benefits Based on Disability. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.medicaid.gov/medic...sbility-data-brf.pdf
6. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (n.d.). Policy Basics: Introduction to Medicaid. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.cbpp.org/research/policy-basics-introduction-to-medicaid
7. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (n.d.). Policy Basics: Introduction to Medicaid. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.cbpp.org/research/policy-basics-introduction-to-medicaid
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2015). National Health Interview Survey, 2015. Analysis performed by the American Lung Association Epidemiology and Statistics Unit using SPSS software. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov
9. Tepler, E., et al. (2022). Health Disparities in Pediatric Food Allergy. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 129(4), 417–423. Retrieved March 19, 2025, from https://www.annallergy.org

Arsell Recalls Benadryl Liquid Elixir 100 mL Bottle Due to Risk of Child Poisoning; Violation of Federal Regulation for Child Resistant Packaging;

For Immediate Release

March 20, 2025

Contact Information

recall@arsellsupport.com.

Company Announcement

Description:
This recall involves Benadryl Liquid Elixir sold in a round dark plastic bottle with a pink and white label on the front with the word “Benadryl” in blue text. The product contains 100 mL of Benadryl. The back label contains safety disclosures, storage instructions and manufacturer information. The product was packaged in a paper box decorated with pink and white with the word “Benadryl” written in blue text. The package has a white label on the bottom with the following code written in black text: “X003VRIGUL.”

Hazard:
The Benadryl contains diphenhydramine which must be in child-resistant packaging as required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act. The packaging of the products is not child-resistant, posing a risk of poisoning if the contents are swallowed by young children.

Remedy:
Consumers should immediately secure the Benadryl out of the sight and reach of children and contact Arsell for a full refund. Consumers will be asked to submit their Amazon order number and a photo demonstrating disposal of the recalled Benadryl to recall@arsellsupport.com. Only the bottle is being recalled, not the medicine itself, but both should be disposed of. All known purchasers are being contacted directly.

Incidents/Injuries:
None reported

Sold At:
Sold online at Amazon.com from July 2023 through October 2024 for between $16 and $19.
Importer(s):
Arsell Inc., of Brooklyn, New York

Manufactured In:
Canada

Recall number:
25-194

Note: Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic. Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released the 2025 Allergy Capitals report. This report ranks the 100 most populous cities in the United States by how challenging they are to live in with pollen allergies.

Wichita, Kansas, is AAFA’s #1 Allergy Capital for 2025 – the third year in a row - due to its:

• Worse-than-average tree and grass pollen
• Worse-than-average OTC allergy medicine use
• Fewer board-certified allergists/immunologists
  
  

Key Findings in the Report

Here are some of the findings in the 2025 Allergy Capitals Report:

The Impact of Climate Change on Seasonal Allergies

New Orleans, Louisiana, gave us an example of how climate change can impact seasonal allergies. This Southern city moved to #2 this year from #34 last year. Its pollen numbers were boosted by the warmest November on record in 2024 and moisture from Hurricane Francine.

Allergy Burden in the East and South

States in the East and the South tend to carry most of the allergy burden. Year after year, most of the top Allergy Capitals are located in these 2 geographical regions.

More Activity in the West

Most cities on the list are in the East and South. This year, we saw big changes in the West. California had higher grass and weed pollen counts due to more storms that brought in moisture. For this reason, several cities in California jumped in the Allergy Capitals ranking this year.

Manage Pollen Allergies No Matter Where You Live

Our report also offers information on managing your seasonal allergy symptoms, including:

• Using pollen counts to help you limit your exposure to allergy triggers
• Finding the right over-the-counter or prescription medicines to address your symptoms
• Working with an allergist to develop an allergy management plan
  
  

Read the full report to find out how your city ranks.

The 2025 Allergy Capitals report is an independent research project of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and made possible by support from Opella, the makers of Allegra®.