Concern over severe food allergy prescriptions

Only 60% of patients who have had hospital treatment for food anaphylaxis were prescribed medicine to tackle another reaction, a study has found.

The study of some 130,000 NHS records where food allergy was mentioned showed 3,589 patients received "unplanned hospital treatment" for anaphylaxis.

Of those, only 2,152 were prescribed adrenaline auto-injectors (AAI) at least once.

Two leading allergy specialists have produced guidance to raise awareness.

Clinical scientist Dr Paul Turner from the National Heart & Lung Institute at Imperial College London, who carried out the study, and Prof Adam Fox, consultant paediatric allergist at Evelina London Children's Hospital, said they hoped the leaflet they have produced would save lives.

It is designed to help patients, parents, families, grandparents, friends and nannies so they feel empowered and more confident when looking after a person with food allergies.

Read full story

Source: BBC News, 6 October 2023