Young patients with a peanut allergy have been able to enjoy their first taste of the savoury treat as part of a trial under the safe supervision of expert doctors and nurses at a Norfolk hospital.
Peanut allergy affects one in 50 children in the UK (2%) and is on the increase.
The specialist allergy team at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn has now completed a near-year-long trial of a drug called Palforzia on two patients which has helped changed their life.
One young boy was able to taste his first chocolate peanut M&M.
Both children needed to carry auto-injectors and have experienced severe anaphylactic reactions to food containing peanuts.
What happened during the trial?
The Children’s Allergy Team – Dr Huda Fawi, Dr Nina Terizyan, Dr Yanny Delgado and specialist allergy nurse Sarah Grief have been working with these patients for around a year.
The young people have been taking the oral medication every day which contained an increase in peanut proteins, with the dose increasing every two weeks.
Dr Fawi, a consultant paediatrician at the hospital, said: “Peanut allergy is one of the most dangerous food allergies, and one of the least likely to be outgrown. I am really pleased with the results we have seen. These two children are now far less sensitive to peanuts which will help lift restrictions in their diet and lifestyle.
“The quality of life for these two patients has improved tremendously. I know that for these patients, this has reduced the anxiety for their parents, especially around accidently eating peanuts due to the reduced risk of a severe reaction.”
What did the patients say?
Alexander, age five from Downham Market, was very excited to try his first chocolate peanut M&M’s. His dad Neill Flack said: “Today has relieved a lot of stress for us as a family as food has been really limited for Alexander which is hard for a five-year-old.
“Thank you to the QEH team for their hard work to make the test today a success. This will make such a huge difference for Alexander every day.”
Mollie Hubbert, age 15, from Dersingham, said; “It’s great to have been part of this trial. Being able to eat things that may contain nuts will be really helpful, it’s been quite limiting what I can eat until now.”
Shu-hui Liu, Mollie’s mother, said: “This is life changing for our family. It has been very difficult and a constant worry ever since Mollie had her allergy diagnosed age one I worry at parties and other places where I can’t control the foods Mollie is around. I am so pleased today was a success.”
Palforzia treatment starts at £18,000 per patient. Following the successful trial, it is hoped that there will be further funding to provide this service to other patients in the future.
