Eczema Voice Newsletter - July 2002
Doubt about genetic solution to food allergies
Most people who suffer from food allergies are sceptical about whether genetic modification will answer their problems, according to research conducted by the magazine Health Which? Some experts believe that genetic modification will enable scientists to “switch off” the production of certain proteins within foods that can trigger allergic reactions in susceptible people. However, many doubt whether such genetic modification would be effective and fear it may cause more problems rather than provide solutions, according to a poll of more than 800 people, conducted in conjunction with the British Allergy Foundation and the Anaphylaxis Campaign. (Health-news.co.uk 11/06/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
NZ experiments with bugs
Bacteria used to make yoghurt could help solve a growing epidemic of eczema in New Zealand. Researchers from the Wellington School of Medicine have begun to give the probiotics to children aged between one and 10 who have allergic eczema, on the basis of evidence from overseas studies that these bacteria could boost the immune system. Professor Julian Crane says, “We want to see if we can boost the immune system away from allergy by using bugs that used to occur much more commonly in the bowel 50 or 100 years ago.” He says New Zealand, like other places to which the British had migrated, is one of the most leading of allergies including eczema, asthma and hay fever. (The New Zealand Herald Online 11/06/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
New website offers advice on “flare-up”
For the 20 per cent of the UK population who suffer from “skin flare-up” due to eczema and dermatitis, additional help is at hand with the launch of a website offering information on the condition. The site www.skinflare-up.com has been developed by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, with input from consumer focus groups, patient groups, health professionals and pharmacy experts to give a true insight into the patient and professional experience of this condition. A consumer leaflet providing information on skin flare-up due to eczema and dermatitis is also available in English and in five Asian languages. (Source: GlaxoSmithKline press release 13/06/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
Uncertainty still surrounds causes of eczema
Eczema is one of a group of disorders that are becoming increasingly common, but uncertainty remains about its causes. The most recent theory is the “hygiene hypothesis”, which suggests that by protecting babies and children from exposure to dirt and germs, and by preventing disease from taking its full course in childhood, we are inadvertently destroying the immune system’s ability to respond appropriately. However, the cause of the most common type, atopic eczema, remains a mystery. Experts think it may be hereditary, but links with environmental factors and stress are also being explored. (Femail Online 18/06/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
Danish Government programme “overlooks eczema”
The Danish Ministry of Employment and a nationwide consortium of labour-medicine specialists are sponsoring programmes to predict and reduce the number of labour-related ailments suffered by the national workforce. The scheme has been praised by labour representatives, but some say scope of the initiative may not be comprehensive enough. The most common labour-related ailments, including eczema, asthma, allergies and stress, are rarely monitored by public authorities because they are seldom reported in connection with a claim for workplace compensation, according to the newspaper Fyens Stiftstidende. (The Copenhagen Post 27/06/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
Hygiene “is risk factor for eczema”
A baby washed every day may be at higher risk of developing eczema or asthma, according to research by scientists in Bristol. Their findings support the theory that the developing immune system may actually benefit from some contact with dirt. The researchers from the University of Bristol Department of Child Health examined questionnaires from thousands of parents who had been questioned on the washing habits of their 15-month-old children, in particular how often their hands were washed before meals, and how often they were bathed. Parents scoring highly for hygiene were slightly more likely to have a child who developed wheeze – or an eczema-like rash. (BBC News Online 26/06/02) © Health Media Ltd 2002 http://www.health-news.co.uk
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