Adverse Drug Reaction and Desensitization Program in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology

Bernard Feigenbaum, MD

The NYU Adverse Drug Reaction and Desensitization Program provides a comprehensive approach to the evaluation and treatment of patients with suspected Adverse Drug Reactions. Depending on the medication and suspected reaction, treatment options may include skin testing, acute drug desensitization, drug challenge and/or test dosing.

For example, acute drug desensitization is a procedure which may allow a patient to tolerate a drug to which they were previously allergic. During this procedure, smaller than usual doses of a drug are administered and the dose is increased in a controlled fashion, under medical supervision and typically according to published protocols.
The Program evaluates Adverse Drug Reactions to drugs such as:

• Antibiotics and other drugs for Infectious Diseases
• Aspirin and other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications) such as ibuprofen and naproxen. This includes both IgE-mediated reactions as well as COX-1 inhibition-mediated reactions in patients with Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD, aspirin-sensitive asthma, Samter’s Triad)
• Plavix and other blood thinners
• Local anesthetics, such as lidocaine and bupivicaine
• Monoclonal antibodies, such as rituximab (Rituxan) and natalizumab (Tysabri)
• Chemotherapy, such as carboplatin, oxaliplatin, paclitaxel (Taxol), and doxorubicin

Desensitization services offered by the program include:

• Aspirin desensitization
• Chemotherapy desensitization
• Penicillin desensitization
• Monoclonal antibody desensitization
• Other drug desensitization

Director:

Dr. Bernard A. Feigenbaum   FACP, FAAAAI
Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine and Otolaryngology
NYU Langone Medical Center 530 First Avenue--Faculty Practice 4G
New York NY 10016
(212) 263-0450