NICE guidance - Pharmalgen for the treatment of bee and wasp venom allergy
Last reviewed 01/2018
Pharmalgen is recommended as an option for the treatment of IgE-mediated bee and wasp venom allergy in people who have had:
- a severe systemic reaction to bee or wasp venom, or a moderate systemic
reaction to bee or wasp venom and who have one or more of the following:
- a raised baseline serum tryptase,
- a high risk of future stings or anxiety about future stings.
Treatment with Pharmalgen should be initiated and monitored in a specialist centre experienced in venom immunotherapy
Notes:
- pharmalgen bee venom extract has a marketing authorisation for the treatment of IgE-mediated allergy to bee venom
- pharmalgen wasp venom extract has a marketing authorisation for the treatment of IgEmediated allergy to wasp venom
- treatment with Pharmalgen is in two phases: an initial phase and a maintenance
phase
- before people receive Pharmalgen treatment, IgEmediated allergy to bee or wasp venom must be confirmed by case history and by in vivo and/or in vitro diagnosis. Pharmalgen is given by subcutaneous injection
- during the initial phase, an increasing dose of Pharmalgen is given until the maximum tolerated dose is reached
- during the maintenance phase, Pharmalgen is administered at a dose of
100 micrograms every 4-6 weeks for at least 3 years
- dosage may be adjusted depending on the person's history of allergic reactions and sensitivity to the specific allergen used
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