Drug/Insect/Latex News

Earlier this week, Meridian Medical Technologies — a division of Pfizer and a manufacturer of EpiPen— received a warning letter from the FDA accusing it of severe component and product failures that have been linked to serious illnesses and deaths.

The FDA announced today that, for the first time, it has approved a petition for a qualified health claim linking early peanut introduction and the prevention of peanut allergy to be displayed on products containing ground peanuts.

Combined probiotic and peanut oral immunotherapy delivered long-lasting clinical benefit and long-term repression of the allergic immune response to peanut, according to findings recently published in The Lancet: Child & Adolescent Health.

Less than 50% of children who experience anaphylaxis receive epinephrine before treatment in an ED or urgent care center, despite the medication being the first line of defense against the condition, according to a study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

All children who were considered minimal risk for penicillin allergy in a questionnaire demonstrated no allergy to the antibiotic in a study published in Pediatrics.

A less restrictive four-food elimination diet was almost as effective as a six-food elimination diet for treating children with eosinophilic esophagitis, according to new research.

Food allergy or intolerance was documented among 3.6% of the United States population — approximately one in 25 people — with highest prevalence among women and those of Asian descent, according to a study published in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America designates May as National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month each year to raise awareness for these common diseases, as it is peak season for both conditions.

While asthma and allergies continue to be common conditions in the United States, with over 60 million people experiencing symptoms, many people are unaware or do not follow suggestions on managing and preventing their symptoms.

On Sunday, May 14, the Empire State Building was illuminated in teal in honor of the 20th annual Food Allergy Awareness Week, intended to educate the public regarding the serious consequences of food allergy reactions, identify symptoms and respond accordingly in an emergency.