documentary

ER records, cohort studies and eye-witness accounts of teachers confronted by a flood of severely allergic children in the early 1990s, pin point the start of what has become an epidemic. Today, 10% of children have proven life threatening food allergies. Theories have been published and yet none seems to explain the sudden nature with which it all began: just with children, in specific countries and at the same time. And so, without conclusion by the 2000s, research shifted away from causation and towards treatment: oral and injected immunotherapies, skin patches, vaccines, herbal formulae, and even prophylactic food drops for children starting at 3 months of age. Scalable packaged OIT is poised to reach peak sales above the $1 Billion.

In this documentary, we hear from allergists, allergy associations, politicians, parents, school teachers and children who have grown up with life threatening allergy.  As the story unfolds, we discover that the crafted narratives of a medical hegemony conflict with the general experience of those affected by allergy.  Could the peanut be the fall guy?

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filming 2018-19

If you would like to take part in or support the forward momentum of this project, please get in touch. I am grateful to the families, allergists, all who have taken part. Big thanks to my committed and talented crew Robert, Ramona and Woody. Paper edit in process. We're on the way. 

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