Push for Alpha-gal Syndrome to Be Recognized as Major Allergen
WHO:
The Boston Globe - Erica Pernell, 41, lives with alpha-gal syndrome.
The Boston Globe - Dr. Sarita Patil, an allergist at Mass General Brigham and co-director of the MGH Food Allergy Center.
The Boston Globe - Sung Poblete, CEO of the nonprofit organization Food Allergy Research and Education.
The Boston Globe - Jennifer Platt, diagnosed with AGS in 2023, co-founded Tick Borne Conditions United in 2019.
ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4 - Mark VanderWerp, manager of education and training at Rose Pest Solutions.
WHAT:
The Boston Globe - Advocates are pushing for legislation to classify alpha-gal as a major food allergen.
The Boston Globe - The Alpha-gal Allergen Inclusion Act was introduced to the House of Representatives in early 2025.
The Boston Globe - According to a 2023 CDC estimate, nearly half a million Americans have alpha-gal syndrome (AGS).
The Boston Globe - Cases of AGS increased fivefold on Martha’s Vineyard between 2023 and 2025.
ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4 - Alpha-gal syndrome affects an estimated half a million people in the United States.
WHERE:
The Boston Globe - Westwood, Massachusetts, where Erica Pernell works as an educator.
The Boston Globe - Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, noted as an alpha-gal hotspot.
ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4 - Michigan, where the Lone Star Tick is present.
WHEN:
The Boston Globe - The Alpha-gal Allergen Inclusion Act was introduced in early 2025.
The Boston Globe - A 2022 study found that 74 percent of the 100 most commonly prescribed medications possibly contained animal-based ingredients.
The Boston Globe - Massachusetts began requiring doctors to report cases of AGS in April.
WHY:
The Boston Globe - The increase in AGS cases is attributed to the expanding habitat and population of lone star ticks.
The Boston Globe - Advocates argue that the alpha-gal molecule should be listed on food labels due to its prevalence and the risk of anaphylaxis.
HOW:
The Boston Globe - The condition develops after a lone star tick injects the alpha-gal molecule into a person’s body through its bite.
The Boston Globe - The proposed legislation would require food manufacturers to label the alpha-gal molecule like any other allergen.
ClickOnDetroit | WDIV Local 4 - Ticks climb tall grasses and brush, waiting to latch onto passing animals and people.
(UPDATED July 18, 2026 16:17 UTC)
Advocates are pushing for the Alpha-gal Allergen Inclusion Act, which was introduced to the House of Representatives in early 2025, to classify alpha-gal as a major food allergen due to its prevalence and the risk of anaphylaxis. Nearly half a million Americans are estimated to have alpha-gal syndrome, with cases increasing fivefold on Martha’s Vineyard between 2023 and 2025, largely attributed to the expanding habitat of lone star ticks. The proposed legislation would require food manufacturers to label the alpha-gal molecule like any other allergen, helping to protect those affected by this condition.