(Ellen Cranley/ Science Alert) —The US Food and Drug Administration approved a drug to treat life-threatening allergic reactions for the approximately 1 million children in the US with peanut allergies.
The drug, Palforzia, can be used by children aged between 4 and 17 years old to mitigate potentially deadly reactions to peanut exposure. Though patients will still be encouraged to avoid any exposure to peanuts, the drug will be an added measure to help children in the case of accidental contact with peanuts.
“Even with strict avoidance, inadvertent exposures can and do occur,” Peter Marks, the director of the FDA’s Centre for Biologics Evaluation and Research, wrote in a statement.
“When used in conjunction with peanut avoidance, Palforzia provides an FDA-approved treatment option to help reduce the risk of these allergic reactions in children with peanut allergy.” (…)