Allergic Rhinitis: December 2006 Archives

Ragweed allergies makes millions of us miserable with symptoms from red, watery eyes to excessive sneezing. But now a new treatment could soon leave you allergy-free.

It's ragweed season again and oncology nurse Kim Brandt is just one of 36 million Americans allergic to the wild plant.

Kim Brandt, RN, ragweed allergy sufferer: "I would be sneezing, running, watery eyes, itchy nose and nasal congestion."

Sick of the symptoms, Kim joined a study on a new approach called rush immunotherapy.

A vaccine pill that protects the body against the allergic effects of grass pollen will be made available to around one million hay fever sufferers in Britain from next month. The pill, which contains tiny amounts of grass pollen, will be offered on prescription to hayfever sufferers who do not respond well to existing antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays.

Called Grazax, the pill dissolves under the tongue and, to be effective, must be taken eight weeks before the hayfever season begins. Trials with the pill followed successful tests of a grass pollen injection, which was found to protect hayfever sufferers from pollen allergy for three years after their treatment was stopped.