Current concepts in optimized construction of allergen immunotherapy vaccines: Practical implications

The administration of allergen immunotherapy, since its inception more than 100 years ago, remains a therapy unique to the field of allergy and immunology. The practicing, board-certified allergist is best equipped to evaluate and manage the allergic patient. The safety and efficacy of allergen immunotherapy is well established, and both are discussed in specific chapters in this primer. The practical application of each of these within the confines of the shot room (i.e., the places or places in the medical facility where injections are administered in the allergy clinic) are addressed in this chapter. In addition, practical suggestions are provided to enhance patient adherence with allergen immunotherapy while maximizing the practice management model as services are executed. The successful implementation of each of these areas (safety, efficacy, adherence, and profit margin) will allow the practicing allergist to optimize the clinical delivery of allergen immunotherapy within communities and to the patients being served. The optimization of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) depends on four specific defining factors: 1) safety; 2) efficacy; 3) adherence; and 4) profit margin. Identifying specific problems which could impede each of these four factors is necessary to ensure the success of AIT. The practical implications of these core concepts as they apply to AIT will be explored in this chapter.