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n the past, when a patient seemed to be suffering from allergies, he or she would be referred to a specialist to determine what allergens were causing the problem. But now primary care physicians can take advantage of an innovative new skin testing system that allows them to test patients for allergens in-house, providing a more convenient and less expensive alternative to seeing a specialist.
n the past, when a patient seemed to be suffering from allergies, he or she would be referred to a specialist to determine what allergens were causing the problem. But now primary care physicians can take advantage of an innovative new skin testing system that allows them to test patients for allergens in-house, providing a more convenient and less expensive alternative to seeing a specialist.With the easy-to-use AllergiEnd™ skin testing method, designed by MedScience Research Group, doctors can easily test for 70 allergens within minutes. Once the allergen causing the patient’s reaction is determined, the physician can immediately prescribe an oral form of immunotherapy, bypassing the need for regularly scheduled injections.
Dr. Rupesh R. Dharia has been using the AllergiEnd testing system for the past four months with positive results. “I learned about AllergiEnd from a physician colleague who received this test and found it very effective for himself,” Dr. Dharia explained. “The oral therapy also helped him quite a bit and since it is self-administered, he found it much more convenient than the traditional vaccination therapy, even for a doctor.
“I started using the test in my practice and it’s worked out extremely well,” he added. “It is easy to use, and easy to explain to patients, and it provides fast results. My patients are happy because it’s so convenient.”
In addition to saving patients a visit to another doctor, the AllergiEnd test and the use of sublingual immunotherapy also saves them money. “Every time a person has to go into the doctor’s office to get a shot, they usually have a copay,” Dr. Dharia said. “If they have a $40 copay and they have to get a shot two times a week, that’s $80 a week out-of-pocket. And nobody likes injections.
“This option enables patients to save the copay and they don’t have to leave work for a doctor’s appointment,” he added. “There’s no infection risk and there’s no chance that an injection will be given in the wrong amount.”
And the AllergiEnd system isn’t just for adults, according to pediatrician Jay Harvey. “I was impressed with how easy it was for my office to implement the AllergiEnd test and treatment procedures,” he said. “The test is virtually pain-free and the treatment requires no shots. It’s safe for the kids and helps me keep allergy testing in-house.“The no-shot oral therapy treatment is a tremendous option to offer parents and provides me with another potential revenue stream,” he added. “The skin test is universally reimbursed, I’ve had no denials.”
Because the results come back so quickly—within 15 to 20 minutes—patients are able to begin therapy right away. “When I see the results, I talk to the patient about what caused his or her reaction and discuss how to avoid contact with the allergen, if that’s possible,” said Dr. Dharia. “If it is an environmental allergen, like pollen, dust or trees that cannot easily be avoided, I put them on sublingual therapy that will help desensitize them to that trigger over time.”
Prime candidates for the AllergiEnd test are those whose symptoms—such as a chronic runny nose, nasal drip, nasal congestion, watery eyes, persistent cough, sneezing and headaches—might be caused by allergies, and have not been helped by over-the-counter medicines. “We would not use this test on patients whose allergies could be life-threatening—for example, a person who comes in and says that they were in the hospital two weeks ago with their airways swelled shut after an insect bite or after eating a strawberry,” said Dr. Dharia, adding that patients are carefully screened before being tested.Patients who are approved for the oral therapy are given a month’s starter kit with a lower dose of the medicine to make sure that they have no reaction to the drops. They are then seen at a follow-up appointment in four weeks and put on maintenance therapy if the medication is working. “Almost every one of my patients who has used this therapy has shown a good response,” said Dr. Dharia. “They also like its convenience; it’s especially good for those who travel who can’t always find the time to get to the doctor for an injection.
“If a person thinks that they are dealing with allergies, they should talk to their doctor about the possibility of taking this allergy test,” he added. “It could help put an end to their suffering.”
