Richard Lassiter, 44, and Chris Brookes-Smith, 28, of the UK. They flew halfway around the world and changed their lives forever by taking part in a pioneering medical study to cure peanut allergies. Both men died from severe anaphylactic reactions to peanuts. Lassiter still vividly recalls scary experiences that caused him to fear the allergen. This time, the emergency was extremely frightening for Brookes-Smith. A severe allergic reaction to Indian takeout found him at the bottom of the hospital.
The nine-month study employed a treatment approach known as oral immunotherapy. This method slowly makes people less sensitive to allergens by exposing them to small, controlled amounts of the allergen. This creative paradigm has largely been child-centered. Adult allergies tend to be more difficult to treat. The study, led by professor Stephen Till at King’s College London, appeared to show remarkable success. By the end of the trial, 66% of participants were able to eat peanuts without a reaction.
Throughout the study, Lassiter had to incorporate eating four peanuts each day through medical supervision. Just like taking a shower in the morning, he has this healthy habit built into his routine. He recounted the fear he experienced right before starting this new nutritional ritual.
“There was definitely a sense of nerves at first. You know, you have to get your mind around the idea of eating something you’ve tried to avoid your whole life,” – Richard Lassiter.
Thanks to Brookes-Smith for helping to complete this important study, she’s now able to eat peanuts without worry. He shared personal experiences from his lifelong battle with allergies. After one particularly bad episode, he recalled, “I was scared I was going to die.”
The results indicated that 14 of 21 participants were safe to consume at least five peanuts daily without a reaction. None of them had negative reactions. This success has led Professor Till to assert that oral immunotherapy “has potential to have a real impact on patients’ lives.” He emphasized how participants gained mastery over their peanut allergies and in doing so restored a sense of normalcy to their lives.
Even with these successes, Professor Till warned against cure by self medication. He emphasized that “this is certainly not something to do at home,” and further trials are essential for ensuring safety and efficacy in treating other types of food allergies.
He added, “The principle should be applicable to other food options, but what I would say is that different foods can behave differently in terms of the amounts that are required to cause reactions and how severe the reactions are. So to do it in other foods, you really do need to do trials for those specific foods individually.”
Today, both Lassiter and Brookes-Smith can live with more confidence about their peanut allergy. Lassiter shared his relief in knowing that accidental exposure to peanuts is no longer likely to trigger a serious reaction as it once did.
“I know that accidental exposure to peanuts isn’t going to cause a serious reaction like it has done in the past,” – Richard Lassiter.
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