Everything you need to know about dust mite allergies as 'life changing' pill offered on NHS
Everything you need to know about dust mite allergies as 'life changing' pill offered on NHS
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Thousands of people with severe dust mite allergies are to be offered the first ever tablet shown to reverse the condition. Around six million Brits suffer with a constant runny nose and other symptoms triggered by dust in the home or workplace. In severe cases it can be debilitating and cause facial swelling, fatigue and affect people's sleep, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said.
The regulator is now offering the immunotherapy pill Acarizax for people aged 12 to 65 with persistent moderate to severe house dust mite allergic rhinitis. It delivers a fixed amount of house dust mite allergy extract every day so the body can become less sensitive to it over time, reducing symptoms.
Amena Warner, Head of Clinical Services at Allergy UK, said: “This is a landmark step. Many endure years of misery with nasal congestion, loss of smell and sneezing, impacting their sleep and daily living with little respite from symptoms. This can also affect mental wellbeing. With this treatment there is now hope for people who fit the criteria to be able to access this through the NHS.”.
Nice said around 13,000 people in England could benefit from the therapy, officially called 12 SQ-HDM SLIT, which is taken for three years to build up the body's resistance. It comes from the principle of “micro dosing” medicine which has been shown to cure allergies in some controlled trials.
Dr Helen Evans-Howells, a patient expert and a GP, said: "This drug could be life-changing for those affected by severe symptoms which include significant fatigue, congestion and facial swelling. The evidence clearly shows it offers an effective solution for those who have struggled with standard treatments.".
