What Is Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is an effective way of modifying or avoiding disease by influencing the immune system. It is essentially a reinforcement of the body's own defence mechanisms. Vaccination against infectious disease by stimulating antibodies against a particular invasive organism so that a person is protected when they come across the organism naturally. This area of medicine has met with spectacular success (e.g. with the virtual world-wide eradication of smallpox).

In addition to combating bacteria and viruses, immunotherapy is increasingly used as a weapon against other diseases, such as cancer and allergy. In allergy immunotherapy (also known as specific or desensitisation therapy) the mechanism is regarded as a correction of the immune system (see 'How does immunotherapy work?') towards the way in which a non-allergic person would deal with the allergen.

The symptoms of allergies may be treated with variable success using medicines, but this has to be done on a day-to-day basis. Additionally, the long-term costs can be high. Allergy immunotherapy attacks the underlying cause of the problem and provides a patient benefit which is usually long-lasting.
Immunotherapy is generally applied in multiple gradually increasing doses, most frequently as injections under the skin. Oral vaccines are also produced.