RFK Jr Rejects Early Exposure Theory On Rising Peanut Allergies, Says Aluminum-Based Vaccines Are The Reason

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pushed back against a widely accepted explanation for the decades-long rise in peanut allergies in the U.S., arguing that early exposure alone does not account for the trend.

Speaking at a Food Allergy Fund event, Kennedy said Monday that he remains unconvinced that the delayed introduction of peanuts was the primary driver; he instead raised concerns about aluminum used in vaccines.

DBV Technologies S.A. (NASDAQ:DBVT) is developing the VIASKIN Peanut patch for the treatment of peanut allergy.

Last week, DBV Technologies announced that the final patient visit in the company’s Phase 3 VITESSE trial of the VIASKIN Peanut patch among peanut-allergic children aged 4-7 years was completed.

With the completion of the double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment phase of the study, DBV remains on track to announce topline data from VITESSE in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Peanut allergies have increased sharply over the past 25 years, the Hill reported. The National Institutes of Health estimates that about 0.5% of children worldwide had a peanut allergy in 1997. That figure has since climbed to roughly 2%.

Kennedy suggested the timing of the rise, which he said coincided with the introduction of aluminum in vaccines, warranted closer scrutiny.

While Kennedy continues to question the early-exposure theory, recent research points to progress tied to revised feeding guidance. A study published in Pediatrics in October found that peanut allergies have declined since doctors began recommending that infants — especially those at high risk — be introduced to peanut products early in their lives.

Those recommendations initially targeted high-risk infants in 2015 before being broadened in 2017 to all children. According to the study, the prevalence of peanut allergies among children ages 0 to 3 dropped by more than 27% after the first guidance was issued and more than 40% following the expanded recommendations.

Researchers noted the study had limitations, including its lack of national representation and incomplete insights into feeding habits. Even so, the findings support earlier clinical evidence that early introduction can substantially reduce the likelihood of developing an allergy.

Price Action: DBVT stock is down 2.01% at $13.65 during the premarket session at the last check on Wednesday.

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