Tests given small portions of allergens: 'Changes lives for the better'
A British National Health Service (NHS) study uses daily doses of food allergens to combat severe reactions. A Life Changing study in which children and young people with milk or peanut allergies are given small doses of these foods to train their bodies to tolerate it.
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Doctors reported that children were able to enjoy foods that previously would have caused potentially life-threatening allergic reactions , after they took part in a “life-changing” NHS clinical trial.
The pioneering £2.5 million study uses daily doses of regular foods, taken under close medical supervision, rather than drugs, to train children under two to tolerate the allergen, The Guardian reports.
< p>This approach, known as oral immunotherapy (OIT), means that children with food allergies may no longer have a reaction if they eat something that accidentally contains an allergen, explains The Guardian.
“We'll have to wait until the study is completed to get the full picture, but we're very pleased with the results we're seeing so far,” said principal investigator Hassan Arshad, professor of allergy and clinical immunology at the University of Southampton.
A total of 139 children and young people aged two to 23 years with food allergies to peanuts or cow's milk began treatment as part of the study.
The project is funded by the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, which was founded by Natasha Ednan-La Perouse's parents. According to The Guardian, Natasha Ednan-La Perouse died at the age of 15 in 2016 after she developed a severe allergic reaction to sesame baked in a baguette.
Sibel Sonmez-Ajtay, pediatric allergy consultant at Sheffield Children's NHS foundation trust, said: “This research allows us to do things we never dreamed of before.” giving patients foods that we know they are allergic to. This treatment is not a cure for food allergies, but it is life-changing. That a patient who had anaphylaxis drank 4 ml of milk and then endured 90 ml over the course of six to eight months is nothing short of a miracle.
As The Guardian reports, 11 Thomas Farmer, who was diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy when he was one year old, can now eat six nuts a day after taking part in a trial in Southampton.
“We're hoping it will also mean he'll be able to eat a wider variety of foods because we won't be as worried about accidental contamination,” says his mother Lauren. – The fact that Thomas was able to achieve all this without drugs, simply using ready-made products, is simply amazing.
Five-year-old Grace Fisher, who has a milk allergy and is participating in a study in Newcastle, now drinks 120ml of milk a day. Her mother, Emma, said: “Grace has been on this journey for over six months now and she is doing great. She currently drinks 120 ml of milk and likes to have hot chocolate every day.
The experiment is being carried out in Southampton, London, Leicester, Newcastle and Sheffield. It will also be held in Scotland, with Bristol and Leeds planning to join.
Final results are expected in 2027. If successful, this could lead to the NHS providing more evidence for the use of everyday foods.
“If Natasha were alive today, this is the kind of research she would happily take part in, – says Natasha's mother, Tanya Ednan-La Perouse. – We are thrilled that some children with peanut and milk allergies are already seeing the benefits of eating regular foods under medical supervision to treat their allergic conditions.
Professor Hassan Arshad said the study aims to change lives people for the better. He added: “Our ultimate goal– life without the risk of allergic reactions, which for some can be severe and life-threatening.
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