Most parents willing to enroll child in food allergen trials

(HealthDay)—The majority of caregivers of children with food allergy are willing to consider participation in clinical trials for food allergy immunotherapy, according to a research letter published in the March issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

Lauren M. Kao, from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, and colleagues recruited caregivers of children with food allergy to characterize factors associated with willingness to participate in clinical trials for food allergy immunotherapies. A total of 369 caregivers reported on 420 children.

The researchers found that about half of the caregivers reported that they would be willing to enroll their child in a clinical trial (53.3 percent); 38.3 percent may be willing to enroll their child, while 8.3 percent would not enroll their child. Most caregivers felt that their child would or may want (25.7 and 44.1 percent, respectively) to participate in a trial. More than three-quarters (76.2 percent) of caregivers who indicated their child might want to participate felt that fear might be a reason for their child's hesitation. A high rate of willingness was reported across age groups, with caregivers of children aged 0 to 4 years the most willing (61.3 percent). Income was the only significant predictor of caregiver willingness to enroll in a trial; caregivers with an annual income of $100,000 or more were more likely to indicate willingness to enroll (odds ratio, 4.25).

"The majority of caregivers of children with food allergy were willing to consider enrolling their child in a clinical trial for allergen immunotherapy," the authors write.