Allergen immunotherapy (venom)
Bee venom extracts
Brand names: Pharmalgen Bee Venom
Adult dose
Dose: Dose-escalation protocol; maintenance typically 100 micrograms SC q4–8 weeks
Route: Subcutaneous
Frequency: Escalation then maintenance
Clinical pearls
- NICE TA246; BSACI: IgE-mediated bee sting anaphylaxis (grade III–IV)
- Specialist allergy centres with anaphylaxis facilities
- Adrenaline auto-injector throughout; 3–5 year course
Contraindications
- Severe uncontrolled asthma
- Active autoimmune disease
- Malignancy
- ACE inhibitor use
- Beta-blocker use (relative)
- Pregnancy
Side effects
- Local injection-site reactions
- Systemic allergic reactions / anaphylaxis
- Asthma exacerbation
Interactions
- ACE inhibitors
- Beta-blockers
Monitoring
- Post-injection observation 30 min
- Peak flow if asthmatic
- Anaphylaxis readiness
Reference: BNF; NICE TA246; BSACI; SmPC; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/bee-venom-extracts/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators