Lianne Mandelbaum, PT

“Is there a doctor or medical professional on board?” Answer that call and you may be treating anaphylaxis in a cramped cabin, mid-turbulence, with no medical history, no weight, no records, and no emergency department nearby. You should be able to assume one thing: that the aircraft’s medical kit holds the right medication, in a usable form, at the right dose. Under a new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposal, that …

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Recently, while watching Influenced, a satirical film about wealthy influencers and socialites, I heard the words “Food Allergy Ball” as part of a skit. The audience was expected to laugh. I couldn’t. It wasn’t because I lack a sense of humor. It was because those words immediately caused my brain to recall a memorial slide for those who passed at a real Food Allergy Ball.

That wasn’t the only scene that …

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Food allergy has long been one of the few life-threatening medical conditions that society still treats as entertainment. For years, it has been the punchline in comedies. More recently, it has appeared as a convenient murder weapon in television dramas and thrillers. Now, in a recent comedy series, viewers are presented with something arguably just as dangerous: a storyline built around nearly every major misconception the public holds about food …

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On March 18, 2026, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a ruling that could make air travel less safe for millions of Americans with food allergies, by limiting a basic accommodation many rely on to prevent life-threatening exposure. Food allergies are a serious, life-threatening medical condition that remains widely misunderstood. For millions of travelers, navigating airline policies is an unpredictable challenge, where inconsistent accommodations and societal skepticism create unnecessary risk. …

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As the holiday season approaches, many people look forward to gatherings, travel, and celebrations centered around food. For those living with food allergies, however, this time of year brings a different reality. It means navigating crowded parties where allergens are everywhere, traveling on airlines that may or may not honor allergy precautions, and repeatedly encountering people who still do not fully believe that food allergy is real or life-threatening. The …

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For twenty years I have been the mother of a child with a life-threatening food allergy. I know what it is to watch my son’s throat close, to see terror in his eyes, to hear him beg not to die. It felt like time slowed down as we waited for epinephrine to work. Those moments are seared into me. They are not, and never will be, a joke.

That is why …

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Some people eat to live, but most of us live to eat. Meals are more than sustenance; they are how we celebrate milestones, connect with loved ones, and mark the passage of time. But for people living with food allergies, dining out can feel less like a joy and more like an exercise in survival.

Trust becomes the most important ingredient on the plate. Trust that an unfamiliar chef has taken …

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I’ve just returned from the Mary H. Weiser Food Allergy Conference in Michigan, an inspiring confluence of advocacy, research, and business, all focused on one shared mission: Improving the lives of those living with food allergies. I’ve been attending food allergy research forums around the world for over a decade, and I can honestly say the momentum and possibilities in this field have never been more exciting. We’re entering an …

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Why do so many people share their harrowing airline experiences with me yet never document them or file complaints?

Some say they do not want to relive the trauma. Others feel embarrassed for having been ridiculed, either themselves or in front of their child. Many simply want to move on because, thankfully, nothing catastrophic happened.

But silence does not equate to safety.

If I am truly honest, my first negative airline experience was …

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Food allergies are a serious, life-threatening medical condition that remains widely misunderstood. For millions of travelers with food allergies, navigating airline policies is an unpredictable challenge, where inconsistent accommodations and societal skepticism create unnecessary risks.

Those living with food allergies must often navigate a world that does not always recognize the severity of their condition. Although we teach those with food allergies how to live in a world with their allergens, …

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Food should not kill, but in the last three weeks alone, the food allergy community has grappled with three food-induced anaphylaxis deaths. All were young adults in the prime of their lives; one in middle school, another going to a school dance, and one just engaged to the love of her life.

No one is perfect in how they conduct themselves daily, but for those with food allergies, falling short of …

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I was truly gutted when watching the recent Saturday Night Live that joked about nut allergies. My son Joshua, who is 16 years old, has an anaphylactic peanut allergy. I found the segment to be insensitive to the millions of people globally who live each day with food allergies, an invisible but potentially fatal disease.

How do I explain to my son that it is OK to make …

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It seems that adults need to be reminded and educated of the dangers life-threatening food allergies possess. If you think taunting people that have life-threatening food allergies occur only with very young children, you would be sadly mistaken. Case in point, comedian Jimmy Fallon’s in his recent sketch “Masculine Man Masks Commercial” states that his character’s masks “don’t have to make you look like a big sissy with a shellfish …

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When my peanut-allergic son was five, he suddenly blurted out, “Mom, don’t worry about me, if I eat a peanut by mistake and it kills me, I can just hit the redo button and get another life, like in the video game.” I became really scared that his child-like innocence prevented him from understanding the potential adverse ramifications of his own food allergy. The sad truth is that there are …

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