Missed Doses of Allergen Extracts Contribute to Serious Reaction

Allergen immunotherapy involves the administration of gradually increasing doses of selected allergens to a patient to treat stinging insect hypersensitivity, allergic rhinitis or conjunctivitis, or allergic asthma.1 The treatment plan is usually prescribed by an allergist, who is a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies, asthma and immunologic disorders. The treatment is commonly carried out by practitioners in family practice or community clinics and involves the administration of an allergen extract. ISMP Canada recently received a report of a preventable incident that caused harm to a patient who was being treated with allergen immunotherapy. The case is shared to alert primary care practitioners as well as allergy specialists, about the potential risks associated with this treatment and to urge medical offices and clinics that provide immunotherapy to evaluate their processes to prevent a similar incident.