Celebrating 75 Years of Growth and Impact
History of WAO
The World Allergy Organization (WAO) is an international umbrella organization whose members consist of 119 regional and national allergology and clinical immunology societies from around the world. By collaborating with member societies, WAO provides direct educational outreach programs, symposia and lectureships to members in nearly 100 countries around the globe. For your National Allergy Society to become a WAO Member Society, you must complete an application.
The organization was founded in 1951 and has successfully organized 30 major congresses. WAO also sponsors scientific symposia in developing areas throughout the world and jointly sponsors postgraduate programs on allergy and clinical immunology during professional, non-allergy association congresses.
WAO History Project
The seeds of the World Allergy Organization were sown in 1951 when leaders in allergy from all over the world came together to form the International Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (IAACI). To celebrate the 60-year Diamond Anniversary of this vibrant and global organization, the World Allergy Organization Journal (WAO Journal) published a series of articles written by WAO’s past and present leaders. The list below includes links to PDFs of the full text articles published in the WAO Journal.
WAO Through the Years
1951
The International Association of Allergology (IAA) was founded in Zurich, Switzerland and its first President was Dr. Fred W. Wittich (United States)
1951
1955
The IAA grows to 29 member societies
1979
The IAA changed its name to International Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (IAACI) at the X International Congress of Allergology and Clinical Immunology in Jerusalem.
1979
1992
The IAACI encompasses of 35 member societies
1997
The World Allergy Forum was established
1997
2000
The IAACI ratified a new constitution and changes its name to World Allergy Organization (WAO)
2002
The Emerging Societies Program (ESP) was established, and the first World Allergy Training School (WATS) took place in Seoul, Republic of Korea
2002
2004
WAO grows to 70 member societies
2007
The World Allergy Organization Journal (WAO Journal) was established as a fully online, open-access journal
2007
2011
WAO celebrates its 60th Diamond Anniversary and launches the WAO Junior Members Group and annual World Allergy Week campaign
2012
WAO Centers of Excellence is launched
2012
2026
WAO commemorates its 75th anniversary and XXXII World Allergy Congress in Kyoto, Japan
