A new study from researchers at Addenbrooke's Hospital and Cambridge University Hospitals in the United Kingdom was able to temporarily cure 9 out of 10 people of their allergy to peanuts using an oral immunotherapy. 99 children between the ages of 7 and 16 were involved in the study, making it the largest test of immunotherapy treatment.
A new study from researchers at Addenbrooke's Hospital and Cambridge University Hospitals in the United Kingdom was able to temporarily cure 9 out of 10 people of their allergy to peanuts using an oral immunotherapy.
99 children between the ages of 7 and 16 were involved in the study, making it the largest test of immunotherapy treatment.
For the study, subjects were able to gradually increase the amount of peanuts they could eat.
62 percent of the subjects who were given the oral immunotherapy treatment were eventually able to consume up to 10 peanuts a day with out having an allergic reaction.
Peanut allergies reportedly affect 2 percent of children, and kills around 50 people every year in the United States.
Pamela Ewan, lead author of the study and head of the allergy department at Cambridge University Hospitals said: “It is known that peanut allergy is a very frightening disease to have and it has a huge effect on families. We measured quality of life and found a big gain after our study.”
This is the first evidence of an effective treatment for peanut allergies.