The lack of animal ingredient labeling in medication can lead to worse health outcomes for patients with Alpha-Gal Syndrome
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- An 81.9% increase in animal-free medication inquiries highlights an emerging need for patients with alpha-gal syndrome according to new research being presented at the 2025 AAAAI / WAO Joint Congress in San Diego, CA, USA, later this month.
"The 3-fold increase in the number of animal-free medications inquired about reflects the challenges faced by Alpha-gal Syndrome patients. Because of the centralized platform at VeganMed, our team was able to help a patient with 37 medications in under 30 minutes. I encourage every healthcare provider and pharmaceutical industry to partner with us to improve patient safety," said Cora Altomari, PharmD, lead author and medical information pharmacist at VeganMed.
For patients with alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), management strategies require an avoidance of food and medicines containing alpha-gal, however, pharmaceutical companies are not required to disclose the presence of animal-derived ingredients (ADI) on the package insert, predisposing patients to undue risk.
In this study, researchers performed a process improvement analysis using the free alpha-gal focused national medical information center to assess the frequency and growth of AGS-related medication inquiries from the first two quarters (Q1 and Q2) of 2024. A count of commonly inquired medications was also performed.
Within the study, 1,534 unique inquiries comprising 2,106 medications were received from 746 individual patients. Researchers found an 81.9% growth in inquiries from 544 in Q1 to 990 in Q2. A total of 531 unique medications were inquired about with animal-free alternatives available 79.3% of the time. Overall, 6.1% of the inquiries were submitted from healthcare providers, and the top 5 medications inquired were famotidine, levothyroxine, vitamin D, cetirizine and amoxicillin. Hydrochlorothiazide, a medication without a commercially available animal-free alternative, was the most inquired medication.
Identifying animal-free medications is a substantial burden for patients with AGS. Increased provider awareness and ADI transparency for medications are essential to ensure patient safety. With 50% of AGS patients having suffered an anaphylaxis reaction due to ADIs in medications, understanding the patient's burden and availability of suitable animal-free medications is essential for improved health outcomes for patients. Additional data, not available at the time the abstract was submitted, will be included in a poster displayed at the Joint Congress.
Visit aaaai.org to learn more about alpha-gal and red meat allergy. Research presented at the 2025 AAAAI / WAO Joint Congress, February 28 – March 3 in San Diego, CA, is published in an online supplement to The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI).
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is the leading membership organization of more than 7,100 allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists and other professionals with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI is the go-to resource for patients living with allergies, asthma and immune deficiency disorders.
Media Contact
Candace Archie, The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, (414) 272-6071, [email protected], aaaai.org
SOURCE The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
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