Australia has unveiled a pioneering nationwide programme to address peanut allergies in babies, marking a world first. Announced today, the initiative offers a life-saving treatment involving daily doses of peanut powder for eligible infants over a two-year period.
The innovative treatment aims to build tolerance to peanuts in young children, who will receive progressively increasing doses under the supervision of doctors at ten paediatric hospitals across the country. This programme, the first of its kind outside a clinical trial setting, represents a significant advancement in allergy management.
According to Kirsten Perrett, head of oral immunotherapy at the National Allergy Centre of Excellence, the goal is to reduce the risk of severe allergic reactions and improve the quality of life for affected children. At the end of the two-year treatment, a food allergy test will assess the effectiveness of the programme.
Peanut allergies impact 3% of Australian children by the age of 12 months, with only 20% outgrowing the condition by their teenage years. The new programme aims to change these statistics, providing a critical option for families grappling with food allergies.
Nine-month-old Hunter Chatwin, who developed hives after consuming peanut butter, is among the first participants. His mother, Kirsten Chatwin, praised the initiative as a “game-changer,” expressing hope that it will enhance Hunter’s ability to safely consume peanuts in the future.
If successful, the programme will expand to regional and remote areas, potentially transforming allergy treatment across Australia.
