Dear CHIFA colleagues,
I was interested to see this news item from Medscape this morning:
Medscape Medical News
Conference News
AAP 2025
Many Popular Beliefs About Allergies Aren’t Supported by the Evidence
Tara Haelle
'The belief that first-generation antihistamines still have value is one of multiple misconceptions that pediatricians should educate families about, David Stukus, MD, a professor of clinical pediatrics in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, told attendees of American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2025 National Conference.
'Stukus reviewed common “myths” about allergy that pediatricians should feel comfortable discussing with families, from claimed benefits of organic local honey to the nuances of managing hives...'
You can read the full text here: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/many-popular-beliefs-about-allergie...
His messages include:
Local Organic Honey Cannot Treat Allergies
Penicillin Allergies Are Rarer Than One Might Think
Hives Do Not Require Steroid Treatment
Be Thoughtful About Diagnosing and Managing Cow’s Milk Allergy
No Need for Breastfeeding Elimination Diets
There’s no need to wait a certain number of days between introducing new foods to infants.
Egg allergy is not a contraindication to the flu; measles, mumps, and rubella; or yellow fever vaccines.
Shellfish allergy is not a contraindication to undergoing imaging with contrast and does not increase the risk for an allergic reaction.
'Ultimately, many of Stukus’s key messages centered on reassuring parents and helping them understand that many issues will resolve on their own. It’s not usually necessary to take drastic steps — such as eliminating certain foods permanently from a child’s diet, putting expensive air purifiers in every room, or tossing out all the carpet and curtains in their home — to manage most issues presenting with allergic-like symptoms.'
David Stukus supports his statements with reference to guidelines and research papers.
The statements may all be robust, but what is needed is a consensus appraisal of the available evidence for each statement, followed by the issuing of guidance in a format that is most useful to different end-user groups.
Best wishes, Neil
CHIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org