Is There An Allergy Shot For Humans? Yes — Here's What It Is
Yes — there is an allergy shot for humans. It's called subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), a 3-to-5-year course of allergen extract injections governed by the AAAAI/ACAAI/JCAAI Practice Parameter (Cox 2011). Cochrane 2007 meta-analysis (51 RCTs, 2,871 patients) found symptom SMD −0.73 vs placebo. It is NOT Cytopoint or Apoquel — those are veterinary products for dogs.
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Yes. The human allergy shot is subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) — a 3-to-5-year course of allergen extract injections administered by a board-certified allergist. Cochrane SMD −0.73 symptom reduction (Calderón 2007). Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is the at-home alternative. NOT the same as veterinary Cytopoint or Apoquel.
Yes — There Is An Allergy Shot For Humans. It's Called SCIT.
Yes — there is an allergy shot for humans. It's called subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is an at-home alternative. Both are FDA-recognized human medical treatments administered by board-certified allergists under the AAAAI/ACAAI/JCAAI Practice Parameter Third Update (Cox L et al, J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011;127[1 Suppl]:S1-S55, DOI 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.09.034).
They are NOT the same product as **Cytopoint** (Zoetis lokivetmab, an anti-IL-31 monoclonal antibody for dogs), **Apoquel** (Zoetis oclacitinib, a JAK inhibitor for canine atopic dermatitis), or **veterinary allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT)** injected into pets. Those are veterinary products for different species. Human SCIT was first published by Leonard Noon in The Lancet in 1911 (grass pollen extract for hay fever). The field is now over a century old. Standard indications: allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma, allergic conjunctivitis, and Hymenoptera (bee/wasp/hornet) venom anaphylaxis. SCIT is NOT indicated for food allergy (the historical 1992 peanut SCIT trial by Oppenheimer ended in a fatality, and the field never returned to subcutaneous food immunotherapy), atopic dermatitis alone, or chronic urticaria.
Curex offers at-home IgE component testing with board-certified allergist review — including cat (Fel d 1) and dog (Can f 1 / Can f 5) component panels — to identify the specific human IgE sensitization driving symptoms before committing to immunotherapy.
The regimen: ~26-28 weekly build-up injections + ~13 early-maintenance visits in Year 1 (~39 total visits), followed by maintenance every 2-4 weeks for the next 2-4 years. Cochrane Calderón 2007 (DOI 10.1002/14651858.CD001936.pub2) meta-analysis of 51 RCTs (n=2,871) found symptom SMD −0.73 and medication SMD −0.57 versus placebo. Durham SR et al, N Engl J Med 1999;341:468-475, demonstrated 4 years of sustained post-treatment remission after just 3 years of grass SCIT.
Yes — SCIT and SLIT are FDA-recognized human allergy shots and at-home drops, governed by Cox 2011 Practice Parameter. NOT Cytopoint, NOT Apoquel, NOT vet ASIT — those are dog products.
What The Human Allergy Shot Actually Is
Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) injects increasing doses of allergen extract into the upper outer arm to induce immune tolerance to the specific allergens driving a patient's symptoms.
Before any shot, a board-certified allergist confirms IgE-mediated sensitization via skin prick testing (CPT 95004) or specific IgE blood testing. This is required by Cox 2011 PP3 and is the diagnostic prerequisite for SCIT.
Per Cox 2011 PP3, the conventional build-up regimen uses 26-28 weekly subcutaneous injections at escalating concentrations from 1:10,000 dilute to maintenance vial. Each injection is 0.05-0.5 mL administered with a 26-27G needle into the upper outer arm, followed by a mandatory 30-minute observation period per AAAAI position statement.
After reaching maintenance dose, injections continue every 2-4 weeks for a total course of 3-5 years. Tkacz JP et al (Curr Med Res Opin 2021;37[6]:957-965, DOI 10.1080/03007995.2021.1903848) MarketScan analysis of 103,207 patients found 23.9% never returned after their first injection, and only 43.9% reached maintenance — adherence is the single largest predictor of outcome.
Durham 1999 NEJM (DOI 10.1056/NEJM199908123410702) found that 3 years of grass SCIT produced 4 additional years of symptomatic remission after treatment was discontinued. This durable post-treatment effect distinguishes SCIT from symptom-suppression drugs.
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Human Allergy Shot Schedule
Per Cox 2011 PP3, conventional SCIT is a 3-to-5-year course divided into build-up and maintenance phases.
26-28 weekly subcutaneous injections at escalating concentrations. Each visit includes a 30-minute at-home observation period to monitor for systemic reactions.
Once maintenance dose is reached, injections continue every 2-4 weeks. The full course is required for durable post-treatment remission per Durham 1999.
After completing 3 years of SCIT, Durham 1999 NEJM found 4 additional years of symptomatic remission. Some real-world studies show 7-12+ years of durability.
Does The Human Allergy Shot Work?
Yes — Cochrane meta-analyses and landmark RCTs document moderate-to-large effect sizes across multiple allergen categories.
Same proven results. No clinic visits.
Curex's at-home allergy shots deliver the same allergen desensitization as clinic SCIT — for a flat $129/month, with no clinic visits and no facility fees.
See if at-home shots are right for youHuman Allergy Shots vs. Veterinary Products
This is the most common consumer confusion. 'Allergy shots' in human medicine means SCIT/SLIT. In veterinary medicine, it can mean Cytopoint (monthly anti-IL-31 mAb), Apoquel (JAK inhibitor pill), or vet ASIT (allergen-specific immunotherapy injected into the pet). These are different product classes for different species.
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Cytopoint (NOT for humans) | |||||
Apoquel (NOT for humans) |
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Curex's at-home allergy shot is subcutaneous immunotherapy itself — a personalized SCIT serum sterile-compounded to USP <797> standards, prescribed and overseen by a board-certified allergist and self-administered as one weekly shot at home for $129/month. The first dose and every dose change are supervised live over Zoom and a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector is confirmed on hand, so eligible maintenance patients get the same disease-modifying course without the roughly 39 Year-1 clinic visits conventional SCIT requires under the Cox 2011 Practice Parameter.
See if at-home shots are right for youFrequently asked questions
Is there an allergy shot for humans?
Yes. The human allergy shot is subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), a 3-to-5-year course of allergen extract injections administered by a board-certified allergist per the AAAAI/ACAAI/JCAAI Practice Parameter Third Update (Cox 2011 DOI 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.09.034). Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is an at-home alternative — FDA-approved tablets exist for grass, ragweed, and dust mite. SCIT was first published by Leonard Noon in 1911 and has been the standard of care for allergic rhinitis for over a century.
Are Cytopoint and Apoquel allergy shots for humans?
No. Cytopoint (Zoetis lokivetmab, an anti-IL-31 monoclonal antibody) and Apoquel (Zoetis oclacitinib, a JAK inhibitor) are veterinary products approved for canine atopic dermatitis. They are administered by veterinarians to dogs. They are not human medications. The human allergy shot is SCIT, which uses allergen extracts to induce tolerance over a 3-to-5-year course.
How effective is the human allergy shot?
Cochrane meta-analyses document moderate-to-large effect sizes. Calderón 2007 (51 RCTs, 2,871 patients) found symptom SMD −0.73 and medication SMD −0.57 versus placebo. Per-allergen RCTs: ragweed 85% (Creticos 1996 NEJM); timothy grass ~80% (Frew 2008 meta); cat ~72% on natural challenge (Varney 1997); dust mite 80% (Demoly 2016); Hymenoptera venom 95-98% protection from re-sting anaphylaxis (Hunt 1978 NEJM; Boyle 2012 Cochrane PMID 23076950). Durham 1999 NEJM showed 4 years of post-treatment remission after 3 years of grass SCIT.
What conditions can the human allergy shot treat?
Per Cox 2011 PP3, SCIT is indicated for: allergic rhinitis (hay fever), allergic asthma with identifiable IgE-mediated triggers, allergic conjunctivitis, and Hymenoptera venom anaphylaxis. SCIT is not indicated for food allergy — the historical 1992 Oppenheimer peanut SCIT trial ended in a fatality, and the field shifted to oral immunotherapy (Palforzia, which is commercially discontinuing 2026-07-31) and Xolair (omalizumab, FDA-approved Feb 2024 for food allergy). SCIT is not indicated for atopic dermatitis alone or chronic urticaria.
How long does the human allergy shot course take?
Per Cox 2011 PP3, the conventional regimen is 3-5 years total. Year 1 requires approximately 39 in-clinic visits (26-28 weekly build-up injections plus ~13 early-maintenance visits). Years 2-5 require maintenance every 2-4 weeks. Each visit includes a mandatory 30-minute observation period per AAAAI position statement. Durham 1999 NEJM showed that 3 years of SCIT produces 4 additional years of post-treatment remission — but only if the full course is completed. Tkacz 2021 found only 43.9% of patients reach maintenance in real-world practice.
Is the human allergy shot safe?
Yes, when administered with the mandatory 30-minute observation period. AAAAI/ACAAI surveillance per Epstein 2013/2014 (PMID 23535092 and 24607043) documented 1 fatality per 23.3 million injection visits during 2008-2012. Local reactions occur in 78.3% of patients across the course but most are mild and self-limiting. Systemic reactions occur at 0.1-0.2% per injection; severe anaphylaxis is very rare. Patients on beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors should discuss with their allergist because these medications interact with epinephrine treatment if anaphylaxis occurs.
Are allergy shots for dog allergies in humans effective?
Dog SCIT efficacy is weaker than cat SCIT. The 2016 Smith et al review in Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol concluded dog SCIT shows 'poor and conflicting results' attributed to non-standardized extracts and seven co-dominant Can f allergens with no single marker exceeding 75% sensitization. For the ~16.5% of dog-sensitized adults monosensitized to Can f 5 (intact-male dog prostatic kallikrein per Ozuygur Ermis 2023 Allergy), the cost-escape option is adopting a female or neutered dog — Schoos 2020 JACI Pract DBPC challenge confirmed no reaction to female-dog extract. The 'hypoallergenic breed' marketing claim is not supported by evidence: Vredegoor 2012 JACI (n=196 dogs) found 'hypoallergenic' breeds had HIGHER Can f 1 than non-hypoallergenic breeds.
Are allergy shots for cat allergies in humans effective?
Yes. Cat is the strongest-evidence pet allergen for SCIT. Cat-hair and cat-pelt extracts are FDA-standardized at 10,000 BAU/mL (Greer license #308) — the only mammalian FDA-standardized extracts in the US. Alvarez-Cuesta 1994 JACI and Varney 1997 Clin Exp Allergy RCTs documented ~72% symptom reduction on natural cat-room exposure challenge. The Sphynx 'hypoallergenic' breed marketing is not supported by evidence: Hilger 2024 (PMC10975736) found hairless Sphynx cats still produce Fel d 1, the major cat allergen that sensitizes 90-96% of cat-allergic patients.
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Read morePollen Allergy Shots: Efficacy & Evidence | Curex Guide
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Read moreAllergy Shot For Humans: SCIT & SLIT Guide
Yes, there is an allergy shot for humans — subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). Cochrane SMD −0.73, 3–5 yr course, at home via Curex $129/mo. Not Cytopoint.
Read moreGet your allergy shots — without the clinic.
Curex's flat $129/month covers end-to-end at-home immunotherapy — a personalized serum compounded to USP <797> sterile standards, board-certified allergist oversight, and one weekly injection you give yourself at home. No clinic visits, no facility fees. HSA/FSA eligible.
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This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about a medical condition. Content reviewed by board-certified allergists at Curex.