News Archives - Anaphylaxis Campaign

Anxiety and post traumatic stress in adults with and without food allergy – study responses needed

17th January 2022 by anaphylaxis

Researchers at Aston University are conducting research on anxiety in adults with food allergy as part of a Psychology project.

What is this study about?

The aim of this study is to understand if there are differences in levels of anxiety and post traumatic stress symptoms (PTSD) between people with and without food allergies. We also want to see if participants who have experienced anaphylaxis are more at risk of developing anxiety and PTSD.

Who can participate in this study?

Participants must be adults aged 18 and over, with a medically diagnosed food allergy or with no food allergies.

What will I be asked to do if I take part?

If you decide to take part, you will be asked to complete an online survey to assess your levels of anxiety and stress symptoms. The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Interested in taking part in this research?

If you would like to take part in this research, please click the following link to access the online survey:

https ://astonpsychology.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2c9A0PXne9aT6Sy

For more information, please contact the researchers: Sana Ahmad on [email protected] or Dr Rebecca Knibb on [email protected]

New Allergen Resource from Trading Standards

14th January 2022 by anaphylaxis

Trading Standards new resource

Download the resource

Trading Standards has released a new allergen resource for food businesses in Wales, England and Northern Ireland. This is to help protect the estimated two million plus people living with a diagnosed food allergy in the UK. It is freely available for all local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The resource includes an allergen awareness presentation video and a handout available in nine languages – English, Welsh, Bengali, Cantonese, Kurdish, Mandarin, Punjabi, Turkish and Urdu.

The project aims to:
• make allergen training material accessible to a wider audience
• increase awareness of food allergies as a serious health issue and help educate about the potentially life-threatening nature of the condition
• inform food business operators of allergen labelling requirements, including changes brought about as a result of ‘Natasha’s Law’
• alert food business operators to the potential consequences of getting it wrong
• raise allergen legal compliance amongst food business operators
• promote the importance of a positive food safety culture and the supply of safe food that consumers can trust

The resources and more information about the project can be found here.

Warning from West Sussex Trading Standards on Takeaway Food

14th January 2022 by anaphylaxis

Takeaway food West Sussex Trading Standards has investigated takeaways in the county. The results have shown just how difficult it can be for people with allergies to stay safe.

As many as 10 out of 14 takeaways incorrectly told a customer – who informed staff they had a milk allergy – that they could eat a lamb doner kebab. West Sussex Trading Standards sent the meals for examination and found all 10 contained milk protein.

West Sussex Trading Standards is continuing to investigate the takeaways restaurants concerned, and is supporting food outlets in the area to improve labelling and allergy information.

If you have had an allergic reaction after a takeaway or eating out, report it to trading standards. You can use this tool to find your local office. Please also report it to the Food Standards Authority, using their reporting tool.

For more information on the investigation from West Sussex County Council: https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/news/allergy-warning-over-west-sussex-kebab-meat/

Statement regarding the inquest of Alistair William Henden

11th January 2022 by anaphylaxis

The Anaphylaxis Campaign is saddened to learn of the death of Alistair William Henden, 56, who died at his home in Bath, on 18 August 2021.

The inquest held on Wednesday 5 January heard that Mr Henden was found collapsed and was not able to be resuscitated. The cause of death was determined to be anaphylaxis, however the allergen could not be identified, and Mr Henden had no known allergies.

The Anaphylaxis Campaign would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to the family of Mr Henden at this difficult time.

If you are concerned about allergies and would like more information and support, please call our national helpline on 01252 542029 or contact [email protected]

NCEPOD Transition study: young person and parent views needed

5th January 2022 by anaphylaxis

NCEPOD (National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death) are undertaking a study to look at the process of transition from child to adult health services to help see where care can be made better for future young people.

As part of this study they are collecting views of young people and parent/carers on the transition process via an online survey. If you are a young person* or a parent/carer of a young person who has moved from child to adult healthcare services, you can take part via the link below.

Take part in the survey

All responses collected as part of the survey are confidential.

NCEPOD is a national organisation that uses data to help improve the quality of care for future patients in the UK.

*Please ask permission from your parent/carer if you are under 16

First peanut allergy treatment licensed and available in England

23rd December 2021 by anaphylaxis

A new drug for peanut allergy – the first of its kind – has been approved in England.

The drug has the potential to make a huge difference, and bring increased safety, to people and families living with a peanut allergy.

The new drug, called PALFORZIA, is taken orally, and will be available to up to 600 children aged four to 17 the first year and 2,000 the following year.

It has been developed by Aimmune Therapeutics UK Ltd, which specialises in the prevention, management, and treatment of food and metabolic-related diseases. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved the treatment following rigorous testing from PALISADE and ARTEMIS, and follow-on clinical studies by ARC004/PALISADE.

CEO of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, Simon Williams, says, “We know all too well that peanut allergy is extremely challenging and stressful for most children and teenagers with this condition. New treatment options are essential to mitigate the risk of potential severe allergic reactions due to accidental exposure.”

Dr Mich Erlewyn-Lajeunesse, a Consultant in Paediatric Allergy at Southampton Children’s Hospital, and study investigator for the PALISADE and ARTEMIS trials, says, “Results from the phase 3 clinical trials and additional studies demonstrate the potential of PALFORZIA to mitigate against severe allergic reactions in the event of accidental exposure to peanut protein. As the first peanut allergy treatment available to patients on NHS England, today’s announcement is a very important milestone in our journey to bringing PALFORZIA to as many eligible patients across England as possible.”

Cast Your Vote for Us This January in the My Favourite Voucher Codes Charity Poll

21st December 2021 by anaphylaxis

Navigate to the right-hand side of the “My Favourite Voucher Codes” home page to vote.
Mobile users – scroll down to the bottom of the home page.

We are delighted to announce that this month, the Anaphylaxis Campaign is taking part in the My Favourite Voucher Codes Charity Poll. Every month, the business donates 20% of their profits to a worthy cause, and we are excited to be a part of this competition and be in with a chance to win the prize. We’re competing with three other charities, and we need your help!

Established in 2012, the brand has raised over £62,000 for hundreds of different causes from cancer research to animal rescue. My Favourite Voucher Codes is a money saving website, dedicated to not only saving money for their users but also to raise money for amazing causes every month.

The visitors of their website decide which charity benefits from the donation each month, who can vote for free in their monthly charity poll. At the end of the month, the charity who has the most votes will win the donation. This January, we are looking forward to competing against 3 other amazing causes, and we need our supporters to cast a vote for us to help us win the monthly donation.

The poll is open now, and you can cast your vote any time until the 31st of January. All you need to do is head to their site, find the poll on the right-hand side of the home page, select Anaphylaxis Campaign and click vote to validate your say. If viewing on a mobile, scroll right down to the bottom of the home page.

Please cast your vote for the Anaphylaxis Campaign this January and help fund our vital services and projects! Thank you.

Take part in the FSA’s “May Contain” consultation

21st December 2021 by anaphylaxis

Food labelling

The food industry must state if any of the 14 main allergens are contained in a food product. But, where there is a risk of cross-contamination where the food is prepared, they will add a precautionary allergen label, such as “may contain”. This can be on prepacked foods, such as chocolate or biscuits, and even loose foods, such as the ingredients used in restaurants.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is looking at how to make this information clearer and more consistent for the consumer. It has to be something that food businesses can implement, and it has to keep consumers safe without unnecessarily limiting their food choice.

Please take part in this important survey, and let the FSA hear your thoughts on how food labelling should be improved.

BSACI publishes vaccine allergy FAQs for GPs

20th December 2021 by anaphylaxis

The British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology (BSACI) has published Vaccine Allergy FAQs for GPs. Please share with other health care professionals caring for patients with allergies.

Read the Vaccine Allergy FAQs for GPs here.

These can also be found on the BSACI website.

COVID-19 booster crisis for people with allergies

20th December 2021 by anaphylaxis

The Anaphylaxis Campaign and Allergy UK are facing a deluge of desperate enquiries in response to the government’s promotion of the importance and urgency of the booster vaccination. Previous information has led people living with allergies to believe that the preferred Pfizer booster will put them at risk of anaphylaxis.

The two charities, as well as the British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology (BSACI), are now calling for urgent action to share latest Green Book vaccination guidance. This should reassure the majority of the allergic population, who largely received AstraZeneca for first and second doses, that they can safely receive the Pfizer vaccination as a booster.

Initial concerns for people with allergies were alleviated three weeks after being raised, when guidance by the MHRA was reversed. Two healthcare workers had been reported to have suffered anaphylactic reactions to their Pfizer vaccines in the first week of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in December 2020. But, on investigation, there was no scientific basis for concern for the large majority of individuals with food, venom (bees and wasps) or known medicine allergies, even if they had experienced anaphylaxis before.

Unfortunately, the message that Pfizer was not suitable for people with allergies, and in particular for people with any history of anaphylaxis, spread far and wide. It has proved extremely difficult to correct this message. When the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine was authorised, people with any allergy whatsoever were frequently told that AstraZeneca was more suitable and safer for them. So they received their two doses of that vaccine instead. This was despite the guidance by that time being very clear that there was NO REASON for them to fear the Pfizer vaccine.

People are still being turned away from vaccination centres because they report a history of anaphylaxis to food, venom, or to an identified medicine. It seems that they are often wrongly informed they need AstraZeneca as a booster, which has been noted as being less effective against COVID-19 than the Pfizer booster. The AstraZeneca vaccine is also difficult to arrange as a booster and is not usually offered in booster clinics. As a result, the charities report that patients often end up running round in circles between their GP and 119 operators, who frequently are unable to offer any guidance.

The ingredient in the Pfizer vaccine that originally caused concern is called polyethylene glycol (PEG for short, and also known as Macrogol). It is a common ingredient in medicines. Most allergic reactions caused by PEG have resulted from laxatives and some types of steroid injections. However, it is an extremely rare cause of anaphylactic reactions and ONLY individuals with a history of anaphylaxis immediately after taking medicines containing PEG need to seek further specialist allergy advice before vaccination.

As the vaccine roll-out has continued, studies have shown that even people known or suspected to have an allergy to PEG can be safely vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine. There is just ONE case report in the medical literature of anaphylaxis with the Pfizer vaccine caused by PEG.

Key messages for patients

You CAN have a Pfizer or Moderna booster if:
- you have any type of FOOD allergy (including anaphylaxis)
- you have had anaphylaxis to WASP or BEE stings
- you have an identified allergy to most medicines
- any current or recent medications that you have taken safely contain Polyethylene glycol (PEG/Macrogol)
You do need to seek further allergy advice if you have had immediate anaphylaxis to MULTIPLE unrelated medicines that contain Polyethylene glycol (PEG/Macrogol). You can check ingredients of medicines at medicines.org.uk if you are not sure.