Patients Prioritize Efficacy, Safety, and Convenience in Food Allergy Treatments
alexis T. Mickle, MSc
Credit: LinkedIn
US patients, in a recent study, generally preferred food allergy treatments that were more effective, safer, and easier to use – meaning oral, administered at home, and requiring less frequent dosing.1
“How well a treatment works was the most important factor, followed by the risk of stomach problems and how the treatment is given,” explained Alexis T.Mickle,MSc,director at Broadstreet Health Economics & Outcomes Research,and her team. “It’s also worth noting that people who had tried oral immunotherapy (OIT) before were even more concerned about stomach issues.”
Currently available food allergy treatments have similar effectiveness,but they differ in important ways. These differences include how they’re given, potential side effects, how often they’re needed, where they’re administered, and whether activities need to be limited afterward. Options include peanut (Arachis hypogaea) allergen powder-dnfp (an oral immunotherapy), sublingual immunotherapy, omalizumab (a biologic), and epinephrine for anaphylaxis.2 Until now, there hasn’t been much research on what patients actually want in a food allergy treatment.
Researchers wanted to understand what adolescents and parents of children with food allergies look for in a treatment, and if those preferences change based on a person’s medical history or background.1 They conducted a study between May and June 2024, using a method called a discrete choice experiment. The study included 73 adolescents (ages 13-17, average age 15.9) and 228 caregivers of children under 12 (average age 37.1),all with a doctor-diagnosed food allergy. The group was 55% male, 52% White, and 91.4% lived in urban areas.
1 Mickle AT, et al. Discrete choice experiment to assess patient preferences for food allergy treatments.J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2024;154(2S):S118.
2 FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Peanut Allergy. U.S. food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-oral-treatment-peanut-allergy. Published January 31, 2020. Accessed August 20, 2025.