Dr Stuart Carr, MD, Chief Medical Officer — Snö Asthma & Allergy Centre, is a paediatrician, allergist and clinical immunologist who treats patients for allergic rhinitis, food allergies, hives and drug allergies.
When was the Snö Asthma & Allergy Centre founded and why was it set up?
The Snö Asthma & Allergy Centre was started to help people suffering from common ailments such as asthma and food allergies. While an increasing number of people suffer from asthma and allergy here in the UAE, we recognised the relative absence of outpatient speciality facilities that could help these people manage and treat their symptoms.
There is a significant unmet need for allergy and asthma specialty services in the region and Snö Asthma & Allergy Centre was recently opened to help fill that gap.
We have really reached the point of personalised medical care for allergy sufferers. Many safe and effective treatment options for asthma exist including several targeted biological agents here in the UAE, that there really is no excuse for accepting poor asthma control. Patients with asthma should not be visiting the hospital or needing oral steroids to control their condition, we can and must do better for them.
What are the services provided by the Snö Asthma & Allergy Centre?
Being a specialty clinic, Snö provides a range of services for people with allergic conditions such as asthma and allergic rhinitis (nasal allergies), and related disorders such as chronic hives and eczema.
We focus on making an accurate diagnosis, and that always starts with a careful and detailed clinical history. Only then can we determine which if any investigations might be warranted, and we take great pride in avoiding unnecessary or unhelpful testing.
After a thorough assessment and appropriately selected testing, we can then generate an individualised and comprehensive management plan, which may include environmental control measures, dietary restrictions when necessary, appropriate medical therapies, immunotherapy, and biological therapies.
What are the latest trends in allergy treatments, how accessible are they in Abu Dhabi and in the UAE?
We have really reached the point of personalised medical care for allergy sufferers. Many safe and effective treatment options for asthma exist including several targeted biological agents here in the UAE, that there really is no excuse for accepting poor asthma control. Patients with asthma should not be visiting the hospital or needing oral steroids to control their condition, we can and must do better for them.
We have also learned so much about the development of food allergy. For instance, while allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots) have been around for over a century, a lot of work has been done recently on oral immunotherapy for food allergies, and I have been part of a Canadian consortium studying the safety and effectiveness of oral peanut immunotherapy in preschool children with peanut allergy, with tremendously exciting results so far.
