There is no cure for food allergy.
One of the biggest fallacies I have had to dispel time and time again from well intended family and friends…
“Hey, did you hear about the cure for peanut allergy”?
Then they continue to share the patch, OIT and other THERAPIES.
First, therapies are NOT cures.
Second, therapies aren’t suitable for all individuals. OIT, for example, due to my sons asthma he wouldn’t be a good candidate per our allergist, among other reasons.
That’s not to say that these therapies won’t be a great fit for others.
Third, these therapies don’t make it so that, for example, a peanut allergic person can consume peanuts til the cows come home with no reaction. There’s a low threshold and more intended for help with cross-contamination. Again NOT a cure.
Always consult your board certified allergist for a plan and options for your personal situation.
Strict avoidance of the allergen and immediate use of epinephrine in the event of a reaction, as a first line of defense, are crucial to treating the life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis.
Food allergy therapies are under study in clinical trials, but not all have been approved yet for general use.
Other factors such as asthma may make a person an unsuitable candidate for a therapy. So even if and when therapies are approved, they won’t be recommended on an initial basis for all individuals based on further assessment of board certified allergists, per each individual.
Reference:
FARE Facts and Statistics | Food Allergy Research & Education
