Australia Launches World-First Program to Treat Peanut Allergies in Infants
In a groundbreaking initiative, Australia will offer treatment to infants with peanut allergies to build immunity against this potentially life-threatening condition.
Under a world-first program supervised by select pediatric hospitals, eligible babies will receive gradually increasing doses of peanut powder each day for at least two years, aiming to reduce their sensitivity.
Oral immunotherapy, the technique used in this program, has been available in clinical trials and at specialist allergy centers worldwide. However, this marks the first time it has been adopted as a national model of care for peanut allergies.
Australia, often referred to as the “allergy capital of the world,” sees one in ten infants diagnosed with food sensitivities. Peanut allergy affects approximately 3% of Australians at 12 months old, and unlike other food allergies, it is rarely outgrown, making it the most prevalent food allergy among school-aged children.
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Assistant Minister for Health Ged Kearney described the program as a potential “game changer” in combating this severe allergy. The initiative is available for free to children under 12 months who have already been diagnosed with a peanut allergy and are receiving care at one of ten participating hospitals across the country.
Tim Brettig, the program lead, explained that the dosing schedule will be carefully calculated for each child until they reach a “maintenance dose,” which they will remain on for two years.
Some children may experience side effects, including allergic reactions, but these are generally mild and do not require treatment for most infants in this age group.
The primary goal of the program is to raise the tolerance threshold of these children, significantly lowering the risk and anxiety associated with peanut exposure. The effectiveness of the treatment will be assessed through food allergy tests at the end of the program.
“In some cases, the threshold might be so high that they can include peanuts in their diet freely. For others, it might raise it to a level where accidental exposures wouldn’t result in an allergic reaction,” Brettig noted.
Professor Kirsten Perrett, Director of the National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE), emphasized the program’s long-term vision: “Ultimately, we want to change the trajectory of allergic disease in Australia so that more children can go to school without the risk of a life-threatening peanut reaction.”
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NACE will evaluate the program’s effectiveness and safety with the aim of extending it to more hospitals and potentially addressing other food allergies.
However, doctors have cautioned families against attempting oral immunotherapy at home without professional supervision. “It’s definitely not a program for everybody,” Dr. Brettig stressed, underscoring the importance of medical oversight.
This pioneering initiative offers hope for a future where peanut allergies are no longer a major threat to children’s health and well-being, potentially transforming the landscape of allergy treatment not only in Australia but around the world.