Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/OSjfU5mXNbI   Studies prove that oral exposure to peanut protein can tame deadly peanut allergies.   The FDA just approved a drug therapy program, Palforzia, to do just that.     A Stanford University study now shows that peanut reactivity will return unless therapeutic peanut exposures continue.   The researchers studied 120 peanut-allergic participants.    After nearly 3.5 months of ever increasing peanut protein, all were successfully desensitized and could safely consume the equivalent of 200 peanuts.  Stopping the 200 peanut treatments completely or continuing with daily exposures of only 15 peanuts a day failed to maintain peanut non-reactivity.   This result suggests that any desensitization program, including Palforzia, will require continuation of therapy for an extended period.  It would be dangerous to stop.    R Sharon Chinthrajah, MD ,Natasha Purington, MS, Sandra Andorf, PhD, etal.  Sustained outcomes in oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy (POISED study): a large, ra