In the News - "Allergy prescriptions soar by 600pc"

From an article in the Daily Mail on the 18th April 2006- "The number of people developing life-threatening allergies is accelerating dramatically. Doctors have written unprecedented levels of prescriptions to combat the problem.

According to the Department of Health figures-the number of emergency adrenaline injectors prescribed rose by 54 per cent between 2003 and 2005. Last year a record 153,820 were issued compared with 99,325 in 2003 and 25,000 in 1995- a rise of 610 per cent over the decade.

One in 50 children suffers from some form of nut allergy compared with one in 200 in the early 1990's

David Reading of the Anaphylaxis Campaign said " These figures show there has been a significant increase in allergic conditions.No-one knows for sure what is causing it"

The most common triggers for a severe reaction - anaphylaxis- are nuts particularly peanuts, fish, dairy products,latex, insect bites and recently, kiwi fruit"