The word ‘allergy’ appeared for the first time on 24 July 1904 in a publication by Clemens von Pirquet. The term he created refers to a certain set of symptoms that had previously not been classified

Allergy Immunotherapy

The aim of allergy shots (medical term: specific allergen immunotherapy or hyposensitisation, previously also called desensitisation) is to influence the immune system in such a way that it becomes permanently used to the allergen, to the point where symptoms no longer occur. Over an extended period of time, patients are regularly given the allergen that causes their symptoms. The dose is gradually increased. Once the final target dose is reached, the therapy is continued for several more weeks or months. Through regular exposure to the allergen, the body should learn that it is not dangerous. Specific allergen immunotherapy is the method of choice for treating certain allergies, but it requires patience and persistence on the part of the patient.
Following completion of immunotherapy, around 70% of patients are symptom-free, often permanently or for a significant period of time, or at least need much less allergy medication. Allergy immunotherapy is used to treat allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma and is especially effective in the early stages of the disease. It can be used in children and adults. For insect venom allergies (wasps, bees), the success rate is even higher. This treatment option is not (yet) available outside of clinical studies for other allergic diseases such as food allergies. There are two different forms of specific allergen immunotherapy.

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  In subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), patients receive the allergen as an injection into the subcutaneous fat. SCIT can only be performed by a doctor.
  
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  In sublingual therapy (SLIT), patients receive the allergen in the form of drops or tablets that dissolve quickly under the tongue. Unlike SCIT, the allergen is administered daily. However, it can also be self-administered by the patient following a doctor’s instructions. SLIT therefore requires fewer total visits to the doctor.
  

For many years, the production and approval of these vaccines were largely unregulated. The German Federal Ministry of Health issued new regulations for the approval of allergen products (referred to as the Therapy Allergens Ordinance (Therapieallergene-Verodnung – TAV) in 2008. After a reasonable transitional period (projected for 2023/2024), regulatory approval will be mandatory for major allergen sources. Today, many of the most widely used products have already passed tests on their ingredients and efficacy.