New tablet can retrain immune system of hay fever and asthma sufferers

A new treatment for those who suffer from hay fever and asthma has arrived just in time for the peak season of sniffles.

Melbourne researchers have discovered a life-changing pill that could help hay fever and thunderstorm asthma sufferers.

The tablets – infused with tiny doses of grass pollens – have been found to provide long-term protection against allergic reactions, including thunderstorm asthma.

Monash University Allergy and Clinical Immunology Laboratory head Menno van Zelm said the prescription tablets could help retrain the immune system to reduce an allergic reaction.

“It is a very important tablet,” Professor van Zelm told 3AW radio station.

A new tablet can retrain the immune systems of some hay fever sufferers. Picture: iStock

“It’s actually used to retrain the immune system.”

The tablet must be put under the tongue each day for four months in the lead-up to the pollen season.

It contains a small amount of grass pollen that illicits a response that can retrain the immune system.

“In that environment it doesn‘t cause a very strong reaction, but it’s actually used to retrain the immune system and make sure it doesn’t cause a severe allergic reaction,” Professor van Zelm said.

However, Professor van Zelm warned that it didn’t work equally for all allergy sufferers.

It may also work for people who suffer from thunderstorm asthma. Picture: Supplied

“It works in many people but not in everyone,” he said.

“It really depends on how severe it is. If it‘s really mild I would at this stage recommend using antihistamine, but you should talk to your GP,” he said.

Melbourne in particular has been described as the hay fever capital of Australia and Professor van Zelm has helped explain why.

“With the winds coming from the north in the morning, they take up the pollen over the ocean and the wind them turns around bringing this sort of wet moist air with pollen in it,” Professor van Zelm said.

“It makes a very high dose of pollen that makes many people sensitised.”