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An Anonymous Coward writes:

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/09/dangers-peanut-allergy-drug/597997/ [theatlantic.com]

For kids who’ve already developed a peanut allergy, though, a similar but more controversial treatment is up for approval by the Food and Drug Administration. The agency is holding a hearing today [federalregister.gov] with the pharmaceutical company and its advocates, expected to inform a final ruling in coming months.

There is currently no “treatment” for a peanut allergy. As it is, patients are told to avoid peanuts. They are prescribed a syringe full of epinephrine (trade name: EpiPen) and taught to inject themselves if needed. Despite much advancement in medical science and technology over the decades, nothing has given families peace of mind that the allergy itself could be treated, or at least tempered. Until now. The new approach involves trying to reprogram the immune system by giving a person … peanuts.

This might sound dangerous, because it is.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/13/health/peanut-allergy-children.html [nytimes.com]
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/09/first-peanut-allergy-treatment-gains-backing-fda-advisory-panel [sciencemag.org]

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