A new method to fight off peanut allergy has been devised that makes use of a wearable skin patch which trains the body to build up immunity to peanuts. According to a research published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, it had a fifty-percent success rate on its initial test run that enabled takers to tolerate doses of peanut protein that are 10 times more than they could before undergoing the therapy
Children from ages 4 to 11 years old are found to benefit more from the immunotherapy. Those who are older than 12, on the other hand, didn’t seem to enjoy the same advantage. Although the method has been found potentially effective, the Food and Drug Administration noted that it won’t be out for actual medical practices until thorough trials are done.
Vocabulary:
devise – [verb] to invent or plan
immunity- [noun] the ability of an organism to resist a particular infection or toxin
immunotherapy – [noun] the treatment or prevention of disease by taking measures to increase immune system functioning
tolerate – [verb] be capable of continued intake of (a drug, toxin, or environmental condition) without negative reaction
trial – [noun] a test of the quality, value or usefulness of something
True or False:
- The skin patch is made to cure heat stroke.
- The remedy thrives on the principles of immunotherapy in which the body is being trained to build up immunity to peanut intake.
- Children from ages 5 to 10 years are found to benefit more from the treatment.
- The method has not been found potentially effective.
- These skin patches will be out for actual medical practice next year.
Defend your argument:
- Ironically, peanut protein will prevent peanut allergy.
- Has science fascinated you enough? Explain.
- If you were a doctor and became a part of the team that invented a marvelous device that could cure a chronic disease, how would you convince people that it is safe and effective?
Express your opinion:
- Name an allergy that you have, and you don’t want to have.N
- In your own opinion, will these skin patches be helpful especially to children in the future?
- Share your thoughts about this quote: “About 20 percent of the population believe themselves to have a food allergy and only about 5 percent actually do.” – John Warner