Latex Allergy Problem - Can Immunotherapy Work?

Manufacturer: Is there a way a latex sensitized person could be made immune to the same allergen so that he or she could continue to use latex gloves without any negative reaction?

John Woon (Senior Latex Consultant): I am no expert in immunotherapy. At the present moment many authorities are advising the avoidance of latex products for those who are allergic to natural rubber latex. However, this is sometimes easier said than done and the total avoidance could be impractical in some cases. While some sectors believe that there's no easy way out through "desensitization", I'm encouraged by the work done by some researchers in an attempt to desensitize latex sensitive individuals.

Among these researchers is a group from the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Policlinico in Italy. Through their "Sublinqual Desensitization Protocol", the preliminary results showed that sublingual desensitization to latex could be an important therapeutic tool in the management of allergic patients. All their desensitized patients could now wear gloves and undergo medical procedures without any allergenic symptoms. I hope they would continue such important work to cover a larger population.

Of course I'd also like to add that the number of patients and health care workers who have had allergic reactions to latex has reduced tremendously since the mid-1990s during which time latex allergy cases peaked at about 8% to 12% of people who are exposed to latex products such as gloves.

The drastic drop in reported allergy incidence is mainly due to a change in the way latex gloves are manufactured to ensure the reduction of the allergen especially those made in Malaysia. Credit must be given to the Malaysia government whose effort had seen the introduction of The Standard Malaysian Glove (SMG) which refers to gloves produced by glove manufacturers under certification by the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB), with a quality assurance system in line with the technical specifications of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In addition, SMG-certified manufacturers must have a Quality Management System conforming to ISO 9001:2000 or equivalent. SMG certification is now well known globally through the effort of The Malaysia Rubber Export Promotion Council (MREPC).

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