The West German Association for Pediatric Pneumology and Allergology (WAPPA) was founded in 1994 by pediatricians and adolescent allergists from North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland. In 1996, it merged with the other three existing pediatric allergology associations in Germany to form the Society for Pediatric Allergology and Environmental Medicine (GPA) , which acts as an umbrella organization. The approximately 800 members of WAPPA are also members of the GPA.