Harvard professor calls for calm approach to nut allergy

Wednesday, 17 December 2008 21:20

Professor Nicolas Christakis from Harvard Medical School has written an article in the British Medical Journal maintaining the current EU allergen labelling regulations are adding to the public’s fears over the dangers of nut allergy.

The article cited an incident which involved the evacuation and decontamination of a school bus in the US following discovery of one peanut on the floor. Professor Christakis labelled this as 'gross over-reaction' especially as the school bus was full of ten year olds, who could arguably have been told simply to not eat food off the floor.

He has called for a level-headed approach to dealing with nut allergy to avoid the panic he believes is driving an increased number of people being tested for allergy, and therefore causing the apparent increase in prevalence of nut allergy. He also maintains the avoidance of nuts at population level leads to more sensitisation.

Reference: Christakis NA, 2008. “This allergies hysteria is just nuts”. British Medical Journal Vol. 337: a2880