Family says new treatment for peanut allergies could be a game-changer

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A metro family says a new medication approved by the FDA to treat peanut allergies in children will be a game-changer for them.

The medication is called Palforzia. It can be used in children 4 to 17. The drug can minimize the severity of allergic reactions to peanuts. But it's important to know this is not a cure.

Doctors at Atlanta Allergy and Asthma told Channel 2’s Michael Seiden that they helped conduct the clinical study for the drug and warned of some serious side effect and that the drug won’t be good for every child.

For parents, like John Garrett, he says every little bit helps. His daughter Isabella, 7, developed a peanut allergy when she was a toddler.

“It definitely changes your posture around a lot of things. We have to be a lot more careful around food, but also the expenses of EpiPens and having to have them all over the place, all the day,” Garrett said.

On Friday, the FDA approved the first drug to treat her life-threatening peanut allergies.

“We’re very excited to have this available,” said Dr. Stanley Fineman.

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Fineman and his team at Atlanta Allergy and Asthma have spent the last several years studying Palforzia and the effects it has on children who are allergic to peanuts.

“These children had the most severe sensitivity to peanut protein," Fineman said.

He told Seiden the drug isn’t a cure but will have a major impact on children with the allergy.

“What this means is there’s a potential therapy that can help them basically prevent the risk of a severe anaphylactic reaction following an accidental ingestion,” Fineman said.

The doctor said the way it will work is children will swallow peanut powder in tiny doses and eventually increase the amount, training their bodies to tolerate large quantities of peanuts.

He also pointed out that this drug isn’t for everyone.

But for the Garrett family, they're open to testing it out.

“This would help alleviate some of these concerns," John Garrett said.

Fineman said it will be several months before the drug hits the market and it will require a prescription.

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