Presidential address. The advancement of the knowledge and practice of allergy.

State and local allergy societies have appeared in response to pressures created by progressive specialization, increase in knowledge, and need for cost control within the field of allergy and clinical immunology. They provide a mechanism whereby allergists and immunologists with many different interests and functions can work in an integrated and cooperative manner to provide, in a cost-effective fashion, adequate patient care, teaching, and research in allergy and immunology for the geographic area. Maximum effectiveness requires close liaison with medical schools, state medical societies, national allergy organizations, and the local chapter of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Their structure should permit frequent close communication between members in various fields of allergy and clinical immunology, and the organization of committees that can accomplish the hard work of ensuring care for the disadvantaged patient, time and money for research, cost control, identification and rehabilitation of the poorly functioning allergists, continuing education for physician and patient, and all of the other tasks that make the practice of allergy and clinical immunology such a wonderful and absorbing way of life.