Common Conditions View All ADD/ADHD Allergies Arthritis chilblains Cancer Cold, Flu

Common Conditions View All ADD/ADHD Allergies Arthritis chilblains Cancer Cold, Flu & Cough Depression Diabetes Eye Health Heart Disease Heartburn/GERD Pain Management Sexual Conditions Skin Problems Sleep Disorders
Resources Expert Blogs: Read expert views and commentary on popular health topics. Communities: Connect with people like you, and get expert guidance on living a healthy life. Insurance Guide: Get ready for changes to your health care coverage. Physician Directory: Find a doctor in your area.
Get information and reviews on prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements. Search by name or medical condition. Find or Review chilblains a Drug Find or Review chilblains a Vitamin or Supplement Check for Drug Interactions
Drug News Get the Latest Drug Approvals & Alerts Find FDA Consumer Updates Sign up to receive WebMD's award-winning content delivered to your inbox. FDA Approves Diet Pill Belviq FDA Delays Decision on Blood Thinner Eliquis
Featured Topics BMI Calculator: Get Personalized Results Portion Size Plate: Easy Serving Size Guide Your Birth Control Options 19 Secrets Men Wish Women Knew Quiz: Weird, Crazy Dreams Food & Fitness Planner: Personalize Your Weight Loss Plan
Featured Topics Know the Signs of Early Pregnancy? Test Your Smarts: What's Safe to Eat When You're Pregnant? Peek Inside the Womb to See How Baby Grows Healthy School Lunches Quiz: Know How to Avoid The Next Toddler Meltdown? WebMD Vaccine Tracker: Manage Vaccinations for Your Entire chilblains Family
Talk to health experts and other people like you in WebMD's chilblains Communities. chilblains It's a safe forum where you can create or participate in support groups and discussions about health topics that interest you.
If you select "Keep me signed in on this computer", you can stay signed in to WebMD.com on this computer for up to 2 weeks or until you sign out. This means that a cookie will stay on your computer even when you exit or close your browser which may reduce your levels of privacy and security. You should never select this option if you're using a publicly accessible computer, or if you're sharing a computer with others. Even if you select this option there are some features of our site that still require you to log in for privacy reasons.
Allergies Trends: Poison Ivy Pollen Allergies Allergy Shots Latex Allergies Allergy Skin Tests Nickel Allergy
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Ragweed sufferers, take heart: A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee ruled Tuesday that a novel drug to combat this annual scourge is safe and effective.
The brainchild of Merck & Co., Ragwitek is made of ragweed pollen and helps the body become immune to it. Patients begin taking the pill, which is placed under the tongue, 12 weeks before the ragweed pollen season begins and continue taking it through the season's end. In the United States, the ragweed season usually starts in September and runs through the fall.
People suffering from ragweed allergy suffer stuffy noses with sneezing, itching and congestion, as well as itchy and watery eyes. These annoying symptoms can affect quality of sleep and hamper daily activities. Plus, these problems often precede the development of asthma.
Dr. Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, has his doubts about the power of this new pill. He said people who are allergic to ragweed often are allergic to other plants as well.
"The whole idea of [under-the-tongue] immunotherapy has been in the background for some time," said William Blouin, an allergy and immunology nurse practitioner at Miami Children's Hospital. "Until this point, immunotherapy chilblains has to be done as a series of injections."
A pill would make life simpler, he said, because it wouldn't require the inconvenience of weekly doctor visits or the pain of injections. Blouin said the new pill is intended only for ragweed, so if a person were allergic to other plants it would mean taking a separate pill for each one.
Last December, the same FDA advisory committee -- the Allergenic Products Advisory Committee -- voted unanimously to recommend approval of a similar kind of pill for grass pollen allergies, known as Grastek. Merck is developing that pill in partnership with a European company.
During Tuesday's committee meeting, the panel was asked whether the data supports the safety and effectiveness of Ragwitek for people 18 and older, and whether more studies chilblains were needed before making a recommendation to approve the product.
SOURCES: Len Horovitz, M.D., pulmonary specialist, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; William Blouin, allergy and immunology chilblains nurse practitioner, Miami Children's Hospital; U.S. Food and Drug Administration briefing documents
4
Related to Allergies Anaphylaxis Asthma Health Check Drug Allergies Drug Interaction Checker Eye Allergies FDA Center chilblains on WebMD Map: Track Allergy Symptoms Mold All