Allergenic Extract, Fruit and Vegetable

Diagnostic and therapeutic allergenic extracts are intended to be administered by a physician who is an allergy specialist and experienced in allergenic diagnostic testing and immunotherapy and the emergency care of anaphylaxis.

This product should not be injected intravenously. Deep subcutaneous routes have been safe. Sensitive patients may experience severe anaphylactic reactions resulting in respiratory obstruction, shock, coma and/or death. (See Adverse Reactions)

Serious adverse reactions should be reported to Nelco Laboratories immediately and a report filed to: MedWatch, The FDA Medical Product Problem Reporting Program, at 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Md. 20852-9787, call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Extreme caution should be taken when using allergenic extracts for patients who are taking beta-blocker medications. In the event of a serious adverse reaction associated with the use of allergenic extracts, patients receiving beta-blockers may not be responsive to epinephrine or inhaled brochodialators.(1)(See Precautions)

Allergenic extracts should be used with caution for patients with unstable or steroid-dependent asthma or underlying cardiovascular disease. (See Contraindications)

Allergenic extracts are sterile solutions consisting of the extractable components from various biological sources including pollens, inhalants, molds, animal epidermals and insects. Aqueous extracts are prepared using cocas fluid containing NaCl 0.5%, NaHCO3 0.0275%, WFI, preservative 0.4% Phenol. Glycerinated allergenic extracts are prepared with cocas fluid and glycerin to produce a 50% (v/v) allergenic extract. Allergenic Extracts are supplied as concentrations designated as protein nitrogen units (PNU) or weight/volume (w/v) ratio. Standardized extracts are designated in Bioequivalent Allergy Units (BAU) or Allergy Units (AU). (See product insert for standardized extracts)

For diagnostic purposes, allergenic extracts are to be administered by prick-puncture or intradermal routes. Allergenic extracts are administered subcutaneously for immunotherapy injections.

Allergenic extracts are indicated for use in diagnostic testing and as part of a treatment regime for allergic disease, as established by allergy history and skin test reactivity.

Allergenic extracts are indicated for the treatment of allergen specific allergic disease for use as hyposensitization or immunotherapy when avoidance of specific allergens can not be attained. The use of allergenic extracts for therapeutic purpose has been established by well-controlled clinical studies. Allergenic extracts may be used as adjunctive therapy along with pharmacotherapy which includes antihistamines, corticosteroids, and cromoglycate, and avoidance measures. Allergenic extracts for therapeutic use should be given using only the allergen selection to which the patient is allergic, has a history of exposure and are likely to be exposed to again.

GENERAL: Epinephrine 1:1000 should be available as well as personnel trained in administering emergency treatment. Allergenic Extracts are not intended for intravenous injections. For safe and effective use of allergenic extracts, sterile diluents, sterile vials, sterile syringes should be used and aseptic precautions observed when making a dilution and/or administering the allergenic extract injection. A sterile tuberculin syringe graduated in 0.1 ml units to measure each dose for the prescribed dilution should be used. To reduce the risk of an occurrence of adverse reactions, begin with a careful personal history plus a physical exam. Confirm your findings with scratch or intradermal skin testing.

Standardized extracts are those labeled in AU/ml units or BAU/ml units. Standardized extracts are not interchangeable with extracts previously labeled as wt/vol or PNU/ml. Before administering a standardized extract, read the accompanying insert contained with standardized extracts.

Information for Patients: All concentrates of allergenic extracts have the ability to cause serious local and systemic reactions including death in sensitive patients. Patients should be informed of this risk prior to skin testing and immunotherapy. Patients should be instructed to recognize adverse reaction symptoms that may occur and to report all adverse reactions to a physician. Patients should be instructed to remain in the office for 30 minutes during testing using allergenic extracts and at least 30 minutes after therapeutic injections using allergenic extracts.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: Some drugs may affect the reactivity of the skin; patients should be instructed to avoid medications, particularly antihistamines and sympathomimetic drugs, for at least 24 hours prior to skin testing. Antihistamines and Hydroxyzine can significantly inhibit the immediate skin test reactions as they tend to neutralize or antagonize the action of histamine.(3) This effect has been primarily documented when testing was performed within 1 to 2 hours after drug ingestion. Partial inhibition of the skin test reaction had been observed for longer periods. Epinephrine injection inhibits the immediate skin test reactions for several hours. Patients on delayed absorption antihistamine tablets should be free of such medication for 48 hours before testing. Patients using Astemizole (Hismanal) may experience prolonged suppression and should be free from such medication for up to 6 to 8 weeks prior to testing. Refer to package insert from an applicable long acting antihistamine manufacturer for additional information.

Extreme caution should be taken when using allergenic extracts on patients who are taking beta-blockers. Patients on non-selective beta blockers may be more reactive to allergens given for testing or treatment and may be unresponsive to the usual doses of epinephrine used to treat allergic reactions.

Carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, impairment of fertility:

Long term studies in animals have not been conducted with allergenic extracts to determine their potential carcinogenicity, mutagenicity or impairment of fertility.

Pregnancy: Category C: Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with Allergenic Extracts. It is not known whether allergenic extracts can cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women or can affect reproduction capacity. Allergenic extracts should be given to pregnant women only if clearly needed.

Nursing Mothers: It is not known whether this drug appears in human milk. Because many drugs are detected in human milk, caution should be exercised when Allergenic Extracts are administered to a nursing woman. There are no current studies on extract components in human milk, or their effect on the nursing infant.

Pediatric Use: Allergenic extracts have been used in children over two years of age.(5)

The expiration date of allergen extracts is listed on the container label. Store extracts upon arrival at 2° to 8°C and keep them in this range during office use.

WARRANTY:We warrant that this product was prepared and tested according to the standards of the FDA and is true to label. Because of biological differences in individuals and because allergenic extracts are manufactured to be potent and because we have no control over the conditions of use, we cannot and do not warrant either a good effect or against an ill effect following use.

1 Jacobs, Robert L., Geoffrey W.Rake,Jr., et.al. Potentiated Anaphylaxis in Patients with Drug-induced Beta-adrenergic Blockade. J.Allergy & Clin. Immunol., 68(2): 125-127. August 1981.

2 Ishizaka,K.: Cellular Events in the IgE Antibody Response. Adv. in Immuno. 23:50-75, 1976.

3. Lockey, R.F., Bukantz, S.C., Allergen Immunotherapy. New York,NY: Marcel Dekker Inc., 1991.

4. Reid,M.J., Lockey,R.F., Turkeltaub,P.C., Platts-Mills,T.A.E., Survey of fatalities from skin testing and immunotherapy 1985-1989. Journal of Allergy Clin. Immunol. 92 (1): 6-15, July 1993.

5. Murray, A.B., Ferguson, A., Morrison, B., The frequency and severity of cat allergy vs dog allergy in atopic children. J. Allergy Clin. Immunolo: 72, 145-9, 1983.

6. Lockey, R.F., Bukantz, S.C., Allergen Immunotherapy. New York,NY: Marcel Dekker Inc., 1991.