In a groundbreaking NHS clinical trial, children with severe food allergies have experienced life-changing results, enabling them to consume foods that would have previously triggered potentially life-threatening reactions.
The pioneering study, funded by a £2.5m investment and led by Professor Hasan Arshad, a specialist in allergy and clinical immunology at the University of Southampton, employs a novel approach known as oral immunotherapy (OIT). Rather than relying on medication, OIT involves administering daily doses of common food allergens under strict medical supervision to train the body to tolerate them.
A total of 139 children and young people, aged between two and 23, with allergies to peanuts or cow’s milk have participated in the trial. The initiative is supported by The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, established by the parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who tragically passed away at the age of 15 due to a severe allergic reaction.
Paediatric allergy consultant Sibel Sonmez-Ajtai from Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust expressed enthusiasm about the study’s transformative potential. She emphasized that while OIT does not cure food allergies, it significantly improves patients’ quality of life by enabling them to consume foods they were previously allergic to.
Participants, like 11-year-old Thomas Farmer and five-year-old Grace Fisher, have seen remarkable progress. Thomas, who was diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy at one year old, can now consume six peanuts daily. Similarly, Grace, who has a milk allergy, is now able to drink 120ml of milk daily.
The trial, conducted across multiple locations in the UK, including Southampton, London, Leicester, Newcastle, and Sheffield, aims to provide conclusive evidence by 2027. If successful, it could pave the way for everyday food treatments to be offered through the NHS.
Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, Natasha’s mother, expressed her support for the trial, stating that it aligns with her daughter’s aspirations. Arshad echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the trial’s goal of eliminating the risk of allergic reactions and improving the lives of individuals living with severe food allergies.
