The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has approved two treatments that could benefit thousands of children with allergies caused by house dust mites or birch tree pollen.
The cost-effectiveness watchdog has recommended Acarizax for children aged 5 to 11 with house dust mite allergy, and Itulazax for people aged 5 to 17 with birch tree pollen allergy.
NHS England will provide both treatments within three months of NICE publishing final guidance.
Both Acarizax and Itulazax is to be taken as a soft tablet once a day, and each treatment lasts three years.
They work by giving the body a small, regular dose of the allergen, either house dust mite or birch tree pollen, and over time this helps the body increase its resistance.
Allergic rhinitis can cause sneezing, an itchy nose, a runny or blocked nose and itchy, red, watery eyes.
In severe cases it can be debilitating, causing facial swelling, fatigue and disrupted sleep.
It is classified as persistent if the symptoms are present for four or more days a week for a month and have not been resolved by standard treatments.
The evidence presented to NICE’s independent committee showed expanding the treatments to include younger children work better than standard treatments at reducing symptoms and the need for other medicines.
