IMMUNOTHERAPIES: THE BRIGHTEST HOPE!
There are several types of immunotherapy. Allergen-specific therapies for FOOD include
- oral immunotherapy (OIT),
- sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) and
- epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) also known as the Viaskin patch.
Allergy shots for environmental allergies (not food) are known as SCIT-subcutaneous immunotherapy. Allergy shots have been done in the U.S. since 1911, despite never having undergone clincial trials and FDA approval, and have an effectiveness rate lower than OIT.
To date, 2017, Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) is the only “PROVEN SAFE AND EFFECTIVE” food allergy treatment that will completely desensitize a patient and lead to tolerance.
1) ORAL IMMUNOTHERAPY / OIT
To date, OIT is the ONLY food allergy treatment in it’s second decade of research, with “Walls of Graduates” safely eating their allergen daily so they know they are protected. With over 60 board-certified allergists offering, it is the most widely available treatment there is. Over 80% of patients in a poll have insurance coverage for their OIT treatments.
Welcome!! OIT is the focus of this site. See What is OIT, Top 10 OIT Myths, OIT Success Stories, and over 300 published journal articles, news clips, blogs, and videos in our Research & Learn Center.
Don’t take our word for it….do your own research and reading. Then go for a consult to a board-certified allergist who successfully has implemented OIT with patients.
2) SUBLINGUAL IMMUNOTHERAPY / SLIT
Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) (Allergy Drops) is the name given to allergy vaccines that are administered orally under the tongue. Most often given for environmental allergies but a few of our board-certified allergists will use them for food. SLIT has also been used to start desensitization first then transfer over to OIT, often for just 6 months or so. It is also a choice for parents and patients who are too nervous to under go OIT, or have other complications that a doctor sees more benefit to the patient than starting with OIT.SLIT has had significantly less studies overall than OIT but can provide some desensitization effect. SLIT has a lower rate of severe reactions but just as many or mild symptoms as OIT. With SLIT you can easily treat multiple allergies.
Peanut sublingual immunotherapy induced clinically significant desensitization in 86% of peanut-allergic children, as well as sustained unresponsiveness among children treated for 36-60 months, according to early data presented at the 2017 annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
3) EPICUTANEOUS IMMUNOTHERAPY / EPIT or The Viaskin Patch (UNPROVEN)
Produced by DBV Technologies, a publicly traded company, the patch is slated for FDA approval in 2018/2019. As of March 2017, 83.3 % of pediatric patients responded to Viaskin Peanut 250 μg after three years with a favorable safety profile and no SAE’s related to treatment The patch is slated to be a $6500 per year treatment (Reuters) for 2-3 years max. The market estimate is $2 billion (Morgan Stanley and Jefferies).
At this point, we have no test in the allergy world for “tolerance” which is the state of not reacting to the allergen when regular exposure is discontinued. Therefore, barring confirmation of lifetime tolerance on human subjects, patch patients will almost certainly have to switch to regular lifetime eating of the allergen after the 2-3 year treatment period to maintain any desensitization they gain over the years. FDA approval expected late 2018.
Development continues with future patches for milk, egg, dust mites and tree nuts to be launched after the peanut patch.
OTHER UNPROVEN “POTENTIAL” TREATMENTS:
1) Chinese Herbs for Allergies by Dr. Li, New York.
You can join their parent Facebook Support group here for more info: Chinese Herbs for Allergies. Dr. Xiu-Min Li is an accomplished researcher and scientist in the food allergy, eczema and asthma field, and has made considerable contributions in her research. For treating individual patients she is not a licensed medical doctor in any state in the U.S., nor is she a board-certified medical doctor by any organization. Individuals who attended med school in a foreign country and earned an “MD” there are not allowed to practice medicine in the U.S. without a license. They cannot write lab orders, write prescriptions, or bill insurance. Dr. Li operates and treats individual patients as a licensed acupuncturist in New York State at Li Integrative Health. You can learn more about Dr. Li’s acupuncture and Chinese Herbal treatments at her website http://liintegrativehealth.com/about.html
- Dr. Li Acupuncture license: http://www.nysed.gov/coms/op001/opsc2a?profcd=25&plicno=002888&namechk=LI
- About Acupuncturist in New York State: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/acu/
- New York Medical License search: http://www.nydoctorprofile.com/dispatch?action=process_welcome
- Dr. Li and Dr. Hugh Sampson are co-owners of the for-profit company Herb Springs, LLC (or Herbal Spring, LLC) that distributes the herbs. Dr. Sampson owns 45% of the company, Dr. Li owns 42.5% of the company.
Allergists advise that you do not let anyone who is not a board certified allergist treat food allergies. This includes ENT’s, chiropractors, pediatricians, family doctors, acupuncturists etc. Always check your state medical licensing board for medical licenses and this national source for board-certifications: http://www.certificationmatters.org
Read about why board-certified allergists are so important when treating food allergy:
http://www.aaaai.org/about-aaaai/allergist-immunologists-specialized-skills
2) The peanut vaccine, under development by Dr. Wood, Johns Hopkins.
They signed an agreement in 2015 for more development on this product.