Allergic to prawns? A Singapore trial is studying whether you can build up a tolerance

A new clinical trial in Singapore is exploring whether gradually increasing exposure to prawns could help people with a prawn allergy develop tolerance over time. Prawn allergy is a common issue in the country, affecting an estimated 90,000 to 150,000 people. While the simplest approach is to avoid prawns entirely, this can be challenging in Singapore as shellfish is widely used in local dishes such as prawn noodle soup, laksa, and rojak.

Oral immunotherapy, where patients are exposed to small amounts of the allergen under medical supervision, is being studied in the trial to see if it can help build tolerance to prawns. The study, led by Dr Lydia Wong, will involve up to 30 participants, with 20 receiving the oral immunotherapy and 10 forming a control group. The therapy will last approximately eight to 10 months, with researchers monitoring participants for up to two years to assess the long-term impact.

Oral immunotherapy has been used internationally for other food allergies like peanuts, milk, and eggs, but its effectiveness for shellfish allergy has not been well-studied. The trial aims to determine if oral immunotherapy can safely increase tolerance and improve quality of life for prawn allergy sufferers.