Wearing a Patch Effective in Treating Peanut Allergies
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iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — In what may be the most innovative way yet of treating people with peanut allergies, a new patch has been developed to help increase tolerance to this food.
Until recently, slowly exposing those with peanut allergies to small amount of peanuts over time has had some success in helping to alleviate serious side effects such as breathing problems that can lead to death.
However, participants in these experiments have complained about itchy mouths and swollen stomachs.
The Viaskin patch developed by DBV technologies was used by participants for one year, at which point they could safely consumer one gram of peanut protein. While only the equivalent of four peanuts, it’s 10 times more than what they tolerated at the beginning of the experiment.
Dr. Hugh Sampson, director of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Kravis Children’s Hospital at Mount Sinai in New York City, says that toleration levels should improve the longer the patch is worn, adding that it was most effective with children.
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