Great news for the gluten-free community: The Celiac Sprue Association (CSA) with their Executive Director Mary Schluckebier recently succeeded in realizing two key endorsements with the IRS and the USDA.

1. Medical deduction for gluten-free products. The Department of Treasury confirmed the right to deduct the added expense of gluten-free products for those diagnosed with celiac disease. In a letter dated 3/24/2011 the specific conditions of the deduction are detailed in the following passage:

„Therefore, if a taxpayer can establish the medical purpose of the diet, such as through a physicians diagnosis, then to the extent the cost of the food for the special diet exceeds the cost of the food that satisfies a taxpayer’s normal nutritional needs if the special diet were not required, the excess cost is an expense for medical care under section 213(d).“

2. Accommodation for individuals with celiac disease in school settings. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed that celiac disease falls under the 2008 Americans with Disability Amendments Act and has committed to clarify this status for school meal programs:

„The Americans with Disability Amendments Act (ADAA) of 2008 has provided a much broader definition of disabilities. To that end, we are working with our Office of Civil Rights to assess the full implications of the ADAA for school meal programs. Schools must adhere to the physician’s guidance regarding meal accommodations. These requirements are in place to protect a child whose disability affects their diet and also ensures they are provided adequate nutrition. The school feeding programs do recognize celiac disease as a disability. We will make changes in the updated guidance to make this clear.“

Both of these are enormous steps forward in providing safe and equal treatment for individuals with celiac disease. Hats off to the CSA and Mary! For more information, and the complete text of the letter from the Department of Treasury, visit www.csaceliacs.org