Australia launches first life-saving deadly peanut allergy treatment for babies

Sydney:

Australian children with potentially deadly peanut allergies will receive life-saving treatment in a national program considered a world first.

Eligible babies will receive daily doses of peanut powder for two years to increase their tolerance, said officials announcing the initiative on Wednesday.

Over time, children will receive increasing doses in hopes of reducing their sensitivity to peanuts, under the supervision of doctors at 10 pediatric hospitals across the country.

It’s the first national peanut allergy treatment program offered in hospitals outside of a clinical trial setting, said Kirsten Perrett, head of oral immunotherapy at the National Allergy Center of Excellence.

At the end of the two years, a food allergy test will determine whether treatment has led to remission.

“Ultimately, we want to change the trajectory of allergic disease in Australia so that more children can go to school without the risk of a life-threatening reaction to peanuts,” Perrett said.

Previously, families were told to ensure their children strictly avoided foods containing peanuts.

Australian children have some of the highest rates of food allergies in the world.

Peanut allergies affect three per cent of Australian children by 12 months of age, government data shows.

Of these, only 20% will outgrow their allergy by the time they reach adolescence.

Nine-month-old Hunter Chatwin, who is among those participating in the free treatment program, began developing hives after eating peanut butter.

“We are participating in the program to try to increase his chances of being able to eat peanuts safely in the future,” said Hunter’s mother, Kirsten.

“Many families are desperate to protect their children from allergic reactions and anaphylaxis,” she said.

“Having this program available and free in public hospitals is a game changer.”

If successful, the program will be rolled out more widely, including in regional and remote areas.

Deaths from peanut allergies are rare in Australia, but almost 20% of the population has an allergic disease, according to data from Australia’s leading allergy institute.

This number is estimated to grow by 70% by 2050, impacting 7.7 million Australians.

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