The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has updated its advice on the COVID-19 vaccine booster programme.

The full announcement can be read here :- JCVI Issues updated advice on COVID-19 booster vaccination

Of particular note for people with allergies who were previously advised to have the AstraZeneca vaccine the announcement states :-

‘The JCVI advises a preference for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for the booster programme, regardless of which vaccine brand someone received for their primary doses. This follows data from the COV-BOOST trial that indicates the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is well tolerated as a third dose and provides a strong booster response.

Alternatively, a half dose of the Moderna vaccine may be offered. Where mRNA vaccines cannot be offered, for example due to allergies, the AstraZeneca vaccine may be considered for those who received it previously.’

If you have an allergy and have questions about the booster program or COVID-19 vaccination please see our FAQ here :- COVID-19 Vaccines FAQ

You can also call the Anaphylaxis Campaign helpline on 01252 542029 Monday – Friday 9am-5pm

Following enquiries to the Anaphylaxis Campaign helpline about latex warnings on PCR tests supplied by NHS Test and Trace we have sought clarification and have now received an update.

NHS Test and Trace have confirmed that no natural rubber latex has been used as a material of construction in components or packaging of their PCR tests.  Some tests in circulation may still carry a Latex warning which was applied as a precautionary measure whilst NHS Test and Trace undertook a full risk assessment.

Click the link to read the full details in the letter below:-

NHS Test and Trace Latex in PCR tests

After thirteen  very happy years as Chief Executive of the Anaphylaxis Campaign I have now decided that it is time for me to retire.

I joined this marvellous charity after spending over 30 years working in the NHS. I have subsequently enjoyed working with many individuals and organisations. These include clinicians across the allergy sphere, the food industry, regulators and research bodies, many corporate organisations and related pharmaceutical companies. I have had great contact with other charities in related spheres both in the UK and across the world. Best of all I have had a great time getting to know families, carers and individuals affected by severe allergies.

To have held this post has been a privilege. Any achievements I have been able to take forward would not have been possible without my fantastic team at the Anaphylaxis Campaign and support of the Board of Trustees.

My last day with the Anaphylaxis Campaign will be 31^st August. I’d like to take this opportunity to wish every success to the new Chief Executive of this marvellous organisation.

Thank you all for your support and friendship.

I shall miss you all.

With Best Regards

Lynne

Over a two-year period, daily use of Palforzia in those with a childhood peanut allergy led to higher level of allergen desensitisation

An estimated approximately 2% of the population of Western nations has a peanut allergy. However, the prevalence in the paediatric population is likely to be higher with one study of 3218 finding that 24.8% had a childhood peanut allergy. The presence of a peanut allergy has the potential to cause life-threatening reactions and elicit anaphylaxis in both children and adults. While the standard approach for those with a peanut allergy is allergen avoidance and the use of adrenaline auto-injection as a treatment for any allergic reactions following accidental ingestion, a peanut allergen powder, Palforzia, has been approved for use in the EU since 2020. Palforzia contains peanut protein as a defatted powder and has a marketing authorisation for the treatment of patients aged 4 to 17 years with a confirmed diagnosis of childhood peanut allergy. Treatment with Palforzia is a form of oral immunotherapy that involves ingesting, small and controlled amounts of peanut protein with the aim of desensitising children and ultimately reducing the risk of life-threatening allergic reactions. However, continued treatment is required because once therapy is discontinued, reactivity to peanuts reoccurs.

The efficacy of Palforzia in childhood peanut allergy has been demonstrated in two Phase III randomised, controlled trials. In the first trial (PALISADE), 67% of participants who received Palforzia were able to ingest a dose of 600mg of peanut protein without any problems, compared to 4% of those assigned to placebo. In the second and more recent trial (ARTEMIS), 58% of those given Palforzia could tolerate 1000mg of peanut protein without problems compared with only 2% in the placebo group.

The same group have now reported follow-up data for patients who completed the PALISADE study in an open-label extension study. Individuals with childhood peanut allergy received 300mg/day for either 1.5 years (group A) or a total of 2 years (Group B). The primary outcome of the trial was a double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC), which involves supervised and gradual ingestion of the suspected food allergen (peanuts) disguised or hidden in another food.

Findings
The extension study included 142 participants aged 4–17 years (110 in Group A). The median age of group A was 10 years (52.7% male) whereas the median age of group B was 8 years (56.2% male). The percentage of participants able to tolerate the highest DBPCFC (2000mg peanut protein) and without any dose-limiting symptoms was 80.8% in group B compared with 48.1% in group A. In addition, the proportion of individuals requiring adrenaline as a rescue medication was 24% (group A) and only 3.8% (group B).

The researchers described how the data indicated that the extent of desensitisation to childhood peanut allergy was clearly time-dependent in how efficacy appeared to increase over time. They concluded that longer-term data will be captured from this ongoing study to determine whether continued therapy improves DBPCFC response.

COVID 19 Vaccination as a condition of deployment operational guidance has now been published by the government.

You can read the full guidance here.

The guidance includes new information about medical exemptions from COVID-19 vaccinations for as follows:-

General guidance on medical exemptions

For a small number of people vaccination is not appropriate due to clinical reasons. These people will be able to seek a clinically approved exemption from this requirement.

Groups that can get a medical exemption

There are a range of circumstances in which an exemption may be granted which will reflect the Green Book on Immunisation against infectious disease, chapter 14a and clinical advice from the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

There will be a clear process for staff to follow if they think they may have a clinical reason to be exempt. This process will be aligned with certification for domestic events, exemptions from self-isolation for confirmed contacts and travel. Guidance for certification is being developed and we will add a link to this guidance here as soon as it’s published.

We will be producing separate guidance for clinicians, which will align with guidance for vaccine certification in other public settings. This guidance will help clinicians to verify exemptions.

Information for businesses who sell food that is prepacked for direct sale to consumers.

New legislation, which will require food businesses in Scotland to include the product name and full ingredients on food sold prepacked for direct sale (PPDS), comes into force on 1 October 2021 in Scotland and the rest of the UK. The new legislation will improve information about allergens and other ingredients in food packed in advance, mainly at the same place where it’s sold, before being offered to consumers.

Examples of PPDS foods include sandwiches placed into packaging by the food business and sold from the same premises, wrapped deli counter goods such as cheese and meats, and boxed salads placed on a refrigerated shelf prior to sale.

What information is required?

You must include the name of the food and the ingredients list with any of the 14 allergens required to be declared by law emphasised within it, if they are ingredients of the food. These need to be in line with the legal requirements that apply to naming the food and listing ingredients.

We have worked with the food industry to develop a comprehensive guidance document to support businesses in implementing these changes. This guidance outlines the information that must be supplied, examples of labels and best practice advice

PREPACKED FOR DIRECT SALE LABELLING GUIDANCE

Click here for information about the legislation that comes into force on 1 October 2021

Why is the law changing?

The law offers increased protection and confidence for consumers living with a food allergy or intolerance in the food they buy out and about. On pack information will include the 14 allergens specifically listed in food information law, as well as other ingredients which can trigger reactions.

This new requirement follows wide consultation, including engaging with business and enforcement stakeholders, and consumers on improving allergen information, to help prevent further food allergy deaths in the out of home environment.

 

This week Tanya Ednan-Laperouse and Emma Turay – two mothers who lost their teenage daughters Natasha and Shante to anaphylaxis – have joined together to call on the Government to appoint an Allergy Tsar. Tanya said: “allergic disease is increasing in the UK to epidemic levels. Yet, for far too long, allergy services have been treated as a Cinderella service in the NHS.  It is time people living with allergic disease in the UK had their own champion.  That’s why I and Emma have joined together to call for the Government to appoint an Allergy Tsar.  Our daughters’ deaths were entirely preventable.”

The parliamentary petition calls on the Government to urgently appoint an ‘Allergy Tsar’ as a public champion and tackle the allergy epidemic now and to:

• Increase the number of specialist allergy clinics across the country
• Develop a National Register of Severe Allergic Reactions detailing all hospitalisations and fatalities, and also a ‘Near Misses Register’ of incidents
• Join up GP and hospital allergy services so that patients have a coherent NHS care pathway
• Train more specialist allergy doctors and consultants, and mandatory training in allergies for all GPs

The campaign centres on a hard-hitting video interview with Tanya and Emma.  The fact that no single person has overall responsibility for allergy services in the NHS or Department of Health was raised by the coroner at the inquest into 18-year-old Shante Turay-Thomas, who died in September 2018 from a severe allergic reaction to hazelnut.

You can support and sign the petition here https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/589716

Globally, food allergy is increasing in prevalence across all age groups, and has been shown to have a strong impact on the lives and well-being of children, teens, adults, parents and their families.

In order to better understand, and support, those living with food allergy, psychologists in Ireland have created the Food Allergy Coping and Emotions (FACES) project. This project aims to create tools and measures to better understand the emotional and psychological impact of living with food allergy, and the different strategies used by people of all ages to manage the condition. The findings will help deepen our understanding of the impact of living with food allergy and what can be done to improve life quality. To achieve such aims, they are looking for parents and\or children with food allergies to participate in a short survey. It consists of self-report questionnaires, taking approximately 10-15 minutes. All the data is anonymous, there is no need to provide your name or address, and there is no correct answer. They are only interested in your opinion.

Therefore, if you’re a parent of a child with a food allergy and you’re willing to participate, click on the link below:

LINK: https://cacsss.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8oidg36lGHM6cqq

More information about the project is provided on this link. Your child can also participate through the same link, after selecting the appropriate age category. Your answers will not be matched, so there is no problem if only one of you choose to participate. However, their answers are extremely welcome – and important- as well. If you have any questions about the project, contact us directly through email (Dr. Audrey, [email protected] ; Gabriel Coelho, postdoctoral researcher, [email protected] ).

 

Thank you in advance!