FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1.  Is it safe for patients to administer the drops at home?  

Yes.  Patients are taught how to self-administer the drops.  The initial dose is administered in our office to ensure the proper following of procedures.  Patients are provided with a protocol sheet with instructions.

2.  Do the drops really work?  What types of studies have been done? 

There have been numerous scientific studies and medical articles in the past decade that confirm the effectiveness of sublingual immunotherapy.   The World Health Organization reported in 1998 that “well designed studies employing high-dose sublingual-swallow immunotherapy provide evidence that this form of therapy may be a viable alternative to injections therapy in the treatment of allergic airway disease.”  (Please contact our office for articles).

3. Are allergy drops FDA-approved?

 Allergy VACCINES are currently FDA-approved for INJECTIONS ONLY.  Although chemically  the drops contain the same vaccines as allergy injections, providing them sublingually is considered “off-label” and therefore is not FDA approved.

4. Are the allergy drops covered by insurance?

 Since the drops are considered “off-label” they are not covered by insurance.  Although Dr. Loya does not accept insurance, upon checkout her office provides detailed invoices with insurance claim codes for patients to submit to their insurance companies for any possible reimbursements (e.g. office visits and testing may be reimbursable).

5.  Can I get my allergy drops from my regular pharmacy?

No.  Allergy drops are considered a biological vaccine. It is not a drug that must be processed by the liver or kidney.  The drops work to build your immune system.  We customize and mix each patient’s drops in our office.