The peanut pill, Palforzia, has been approved by the FDA, so what are food allergy patients supposed to think? Here is what we know. Palforzia (peanut flour in a capsule) is to be used as oral immunotherapy (OIT) for 4 to 17 year-olds with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy. It should help mitigate allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to peanuts. Those who take Palforzia must continue to avoid peanuts in their diets. The goal is to be slowly desensitized to 300 mg of peanut protein, or approximately one peanut, with the help of an allergist. Studies...

Eczema, atopic dermatitis, or just plain itchy skin can ruin your day and make sleeping a challenge. When moisturizers, medicated creams, and antihistamines aren’t enough, you may be offered the new biologic drug, Dupixent. This new drug is highly effective, but also costly (~$37,000/year). Sarasota Clinical Research is participating in a national pharmaceutical trial with this agent, addressing its impact on nighttime itch.  There is no charge for all medication and testing during the trial and you may be compensated for your time and travel. Find out more here! Or give us a call today! 

In November, Freya Robbins opened the Financial Wellness Center next door to us here at Windom Allergy. Freya did a great job of fixing up the office space and has exciting plans to create a place where people can connect with others and access sound advice from professionals in a sales-free zone. See more at www.FinancialWellnessCenter.me.

Military veterans going to the Wednesday weekly Allergy Clinic at the James A. Haley Veterans Administration Hospital in Tampa will be seen by one of our Windom Allergy physicians.  Dr. Fergeson serves as the attending physician for the clinic on the first Wednesday of each month, Dr. Windom covers the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, and Dr. Saco the 3rd Wednesday (also the 5th when there is one). While seeing patients, our doctors teach University of South Florida medical trainees assigned to the clinic. This is all done on a volunteer basis, our way of saying ‘thank you’ for...

They’ve been called hives, welts, itches, welts, or swelling, but the medical terminology is urticaria.  As many as 20% of people will experience urticaria in their lifetime. When it persists for longer than 6 weeks, we call it chronic urticaria. Here at the Sarasota Clinical Research center at Windom Allergy we are testing a monthly injection for chronic urticaria. You may be compensated for your time and travel. Find out more here! -> www.windomallergy.com/clinical-trials

It is hard to believe that it has been 12 years since Gerard Marsalisi joined Windom Allergy. Gerard came onboard ‘locked and loaded’, having previously worked in an allergy office in St. Petersburg. As the most experienced nurse in skin testing, pulmonary function testing, patch testing and everything allergy, he is leaned on heavily by others learning how we do things. He’s also a favorite of many long-time patients in the practice. Outside of work Gerard sings like an angel for his church, has two daughters, and lives in Parish.

Dr. Windom attended the American College of Allergy Asthma & Immunology annual meeting in Houston in November. He lectured on ‘Food Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) in Clinical Practice’ to the Association of Allergists of Indian-Origin. Many in the audience expressed interest in offering this life-changing therapy to their patients based on the aspirational words of Dr. Windom. The results of our first 180 peanut allergy patients treated with OIT, compiled with the help of pre-med student Lara Gasich, were presented as a poster at the national meeting.

If the cost of inhalers bothers you, or you’d like to contribute to the development of new medications, taking part in an asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or emphysema) study might be for you.  Here at the Sarasota Clinical Research Center at Windom Allergy we are now enrolling patients in Asthma and COPD clinical trials; you may receive medication at no cost, and compensation for time and travel!  Find out more here!

This month Dr. Fergeson led our emergency room training review. During these sessions our physicians, nurses and office staff discuss how to safely and efficiently manage a patient who is having an allergic reaction. We also had the opportunity to review our airway and IV placement skills, as well as apply these skills in our mock patient clinical scenarios. We are constantly learning here at Windom Allergy and always strive to provide the best care to our patients.

Flu season is here and the best way to protect yourself and others from catching the flu is to receive the vaccine! For those with egg allergy, not to worry, the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology and American Academy of Pediatrics state that “no special precautions are required for the administration of influenza vaccine to egg-allergic patients no matter how severe the egg allergy.”  We are offering the flu vaccine to our patients 18 years of age and older. For our pediatric patients, please visit your pediatrician to receive the vaccine. Read more → EGG ALLERGY...