Oral Immunotherapy for Food Allergic Patients

by Friends of Assaf Harofeh Medical Center

Summary

Assaf HaRofeh Medical Center (AHMC), is a Joint Commission International accredited medical institution, located in Zerifin Israel. This project will support the efforts of the Center for Food Allergy at AHMC to advance its groundbreaking work and research in oral immunotherapy (OIT) for the treatment of food allergy. The OIT program is unique within Israel , and in the last five years has positively impacted on the lives of hundreds of patients and their families.

$48,000
total goal

$45,493
remaining

41
donors

1
monthly donor

5
years

Challenge

Food allergy is caused by immune reactions to ingestion of specific foods. Severe cases may result in loss of consciousness, anaphylactic shock, or death. Patients and their families must be constantly vigilant against inadvertent exposure to allergenic food. In Israel alone, recent food allergy reactions have led to four deaths and many life-threatening episodes. Food allergy also restricts dietary and lifestyle options for patients, and can be strongly disruptive to their daily function.

Solution

OIT is a novel treatment for food allergy involving incremental food dose escalation, increasing the amount of allergenic food that can be tolerated by the patient. OIT at AHMC is a personalized therapy, with the goal of complete or partial desensitization. Currently, OIT is available for patients four years and older, for treatment of allergies to milk, peanuts, eggs and sesame. The program is internationally-regarded, advancing clinical and research progress in the field.

Long-Term Impact

Greater than 65% of our 800 patients treated by OIT have achieved full desensitization and an additional 20%, partial desensitization. Benefits include the elimination of life-threatening reactions, and increased dietary options for better nutrition. Further research will facilitate the expansion of OIT programs to include other foods and optimized treatment methods. Immunological parameters will be sought to better monitor progress and predict successful outcomes during OIT.