Immunotherapy Treatment for Hayfever Sufferers

A new drug called GRAZAX® can now be taken in tablet form and is considered a highly effective evidence based vaccine against hay fever.

This is how it works:

  • Grazax immunizes the patient against allergy to the most common of grasses, timothy grass. Before you could be considered for this treatment, you would need to attend one of our clinics for a blood test to make sure that this was the sort of hay fever from which you suffer.
  • This blood test would cost you about £50 and would give you a result in 5 working days.
  • If you are allergic to timothy grass, as most hay fever sufferers are, then you have the option of using this new treatment.
  • GRAZAX is a fast dissolving once a day tablet which you start taking 2 months before the hay fever season and continue right through until your hay fever would normally be over. It is an immuno therapy: this means it works on your immune system to "re programme" your allergic response. It is NOT an antihistamine, and must be regarded as a medication with risks if it were taken by a person for whom it had not been prescribed.
  • About 70% of people who suffer moderate or severe hay fever would be a lot better after one season of this treatment. If you have 3 consecutive seasons of treatment then the success rate is 90%. It is important to realise that this is a vaccine: so a 90% success rate means those people will not have hay fever again after the 3 year vaccination period.
  • Because GRAZAX works on your immune system there is a very small risk of medical problems after taking the very first dose: for this reason the first tablet must be taken at our practice, and you would be required to remain in the clinic, under medical supervision for 30 minutes after you had swallowed it.

The costs of this new treatment are as follows:

  • Initial consultation with blood test: c. £160
  • If you are not allergic to timothy grass this information would be sent to you by post. You are still welcome to discuss your hay fever management with us, and maybe have further blood tests to determine the exact source of your allergy. However GRAZAX would not be helpful to you.
  • If you are allergic to timothy grass then you would be offered a Subsequent consultation to receive the first dose and be supervised for 30 minutes (£60). You would obtain the full course of your medication on prescription from any pharmacy. The cost of this is about £100 a month.
  • Clearly this is not an inexpensive approach to hay fever, but unlike most treatments, this offers a 90% chance of a long term cure after 3 years of treatment.
  • If you would like to consider this exciting new development please make an appointment on 0116 270 0373.

If you have a query or would like to email us please go to our contact us page.

If you would like to book an appointment please call us on 0844 800 8673 or email info@privategp.com.

Integrated Therapies

Whilst much is known about the importance of traditional medicine and the evidence for its continued use, far less is known about alternative medicine and integrated therapies. 25 years ago, they were considered unorthodox, but today they are very much more accepted and openly practised. Research shows that 90% of us use them in one form or another, and we know that when correctly and safely administered by open-minded and trained professionals, how beneficial they can be for body, mind and spirit.

Further Information

Latest News

Dr Piper attends a six-day intensive Medical Education Course provided by the Institute of Functional Medicine

Dec 19, 2011

Important European Travel News

Apr 12, 2011

Measles In Europe

As we write, there have been over 1000 cases of Measles in France. Switzerland and Germany also have significant problems with measles. This is because these countries do not have such good immunisation coverage as we do in the UK. By contrast there have been 80 cases in England. The most recent outbreak of measles is at Leeds University where so far 15 students have been affected. The first case was exposed during a skiing trip to France.

More

Contact Us