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New WAO position paper on SLIT focused on unmet needs, future trials

The World Allergy Organization has updated its position paper on sublingual immunotherapy, highlighting unmet needs and making recommendations for the methodology of future trials, according to a press release.

“With the continuing emergence of the science and utility of sublingual immunotherapy, this update from the World Allergy Organization will provide an important touchstone for our current understanding of sublingual immunotherapy as it moves forward,” Lanny Rosenwasser, MD, WAO president, said in the press release. “The group who has worked on this project over the past years should be commended for the excellence of this document.”

Lanny Rosenwasser

The position paper spans 14 chapters of interest compared with the previous paper which highlighted just 10 chapters.

“The new article is a condensed update of 10 previous chapters with the addition of new chapters on emerging issues: Practical Aspects, Perspectives and Novel Approaches, and Raising Public Awareness of Sublingual Immunotherapy,” Giorgio Walter Canonica, MD, WAO chairperson, said in the press release. “The updated chapters contain new evidences corroborated by references and revised content based on new data.”

According to the document, sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) appears to be better tolerated than subcutaneous immunotherapy. Furthermore, SLIT should only be prescribed by physicians with appropriate allergy training and expertise, researchers wrote.

“Recognizing the need to update the 2009 position paper with the new developments and recommendations in the field and because of its growing importance for physicians, scientists, regulatory bodies and most importantly patients, WAO embarked upon the 2013 update,” Ruby Pawankar, MD, PhD, WAO past president, said in the release.

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