Australia leads world with new peanut allergy treatment
World-first treatment offered for babies in Australia
Babies with peanut allergies in Australia will be offered a revolutionary new treatment to help them build immunity to the potentially life-threatening condition.
The free program, called the ADAPT OIT Program, is only available to children under 12 months who have been diagnosed with a peanut allergy.
It aims to change the way the most common food allergy among Australian school-aged children is managed.
Ten paediatric hospitals across five states will be the first to offer the nationwide peanut oral immunotherapy (OIT) program, which has been backed by $3 million in funding from the Federal Government.
Under the program, allergic babies will be given small daily doses of peanut powder for two years under strict medical supervision.
The doses will gradually increase over time, with the aim of helping the children develop tolerance to peanuts.
The program is based on research from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, which has shown that early intervention with OIT can prevent peanut allergy in high-risk infants.
Lead researcher Professor Mimi Tang said the program was a major breakthrough in the fight against peanut allergy.
"This is a world-first program that has the potential to change the lives of millions of children around the world," she said.
"Peanut allergy is a serious condition that can be life-threatening, but this program offers hope that we can prevent it from developing in the first place."
Conclusion
The ADAPT OIT Program is a significant step forward in the fight against peanut allergy. It is a testament to the world-leading research being conducted in Australia, and has the potential to make a real difference to the lives of millions of children around the world.
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