What is oral immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is treatment for an allergy based on the principle of getting the patient’s body accustomed to the presence of the substance that triggers the allergic reaction (allergen). In theory, this desensitises the body to the allergen, reducing the severity of future allergic reactions or eliminating them altogether.

Oral immunotherapy administers small quantities of the allergen in the form of a tablet. It has been used to treat patients with seasonal allergies like hay fever, and new studies on food allergies, such as peanut allergies, have shown promising results.

Why is it done?

While allergy treatment has traditionally focussed on dealing with the symptoms (and in the case of severe food allergies, saving the patient’s life), oral immunotherapy aims to combat the cause and cure the allergy altogether. By consuming small amounts of the allergen and slowly increasing the dose, patients have been able to incorporate foods they had previously been allergic to back into their diets.

What does it consist of?

The treatment consists of administering tiny quantities of the allergen in question, which are progressively increased until the patient is able to have contact with the substance without a significant (or any) allergic reaction. The duration of the treatment is very variable, depending on the substance and on the severity or intensity of the allergy in each patient.

Preparation for the oral immunotherapy

Before undergoing oral immunotherapy, the doctor must perform allergy tests on the patient to confirm what substance triggers a reaction. Blood tests may also be performed to check the patient's health status.