I was researching an unrelated topic today when I found that the Lancet had published a study indicating that they have found a way for children with life threatening nut allergies to become desensitized to the point where they could actually ingest the equivalent of five whole peanuts without any ill effect.
The method that they are using is called immunotherapy. Its just an oral version of the allergy shots I had thirty years ago. Astonishingly it works 85% of the time and this article covered phase 2 clinical trials so they have done extensive testing at this point.
I think what is most interesting about this is the fact that this is not a particularly profitable cure for an incredibly scary and dangerous problem. Yes, the treatments need to be administered in a supervised setting for some period of time to ensure that there are no adverse reactions. Yes your allergist can make a living administering the shots, but realistically, as someone who had allergy shots long ago, you go in, a nurse gives you a shot under your skin, you read for half an hour in the waiting room and you go home. The doctors developing this can’t get rich with it. They just get to serve humanity and do a good thing for little kids.
We need more cures like this, for all of our autoimmune conditions
If you would like to read the original article in the Lancet it is available at the following web address.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2813%2962301-6/abstract
