Can Peanut Allergy Be Reduced in Children and Adults?

Peanut allergy, one of the most common and dangerous food allergies, poses a constant threat to the lives of many children and adults. The fear of a severe allergic reaction, which can lead to life-threatening anaphylactic shock, turns simple daily activities into a complex challenge. Prof. Eitan Friedman, director of the Genetic Institute for Early Detection at Assuta, said in an interview on the program "The Morning World" about a new study that offers hope and a positive answer to this question.

According to Prof. Friedman, the breakthrough expands a therapeutic approach that has already proven effective among children and applies it for the first time to an adult population. "This study is about adults, people aged 18 to 40," he explained. The innovative treatment is based on gradual, controlled exposure to peanut proteins, with the aim of "training" the immune system and reducing the severity of the allergic response.

He said the researchers managed to bring patients to a level where they could consume a significant amount without any effect: "Two thirds of them did not develop an allergy, it is life-changing." Although caution is still required, reducing the existential threat provides freedom and personal security that were not possible before, and points to a safer, calmer future for people with allergies and their families.