Names of Allergy Shots: Clinical Terms, Synonyms, and Brand Names
The clinical name for allergy shots is SCIT — subcutaneous immunotherapy. Synonyms include allergen immunotherapy (AIT), hyposensitization (Noon 1911), desensitization, and allergy vaccine (WHO 1998). SCIT itself has no brand name. Brand names belong to SLIT tablets, biologics, depot steroids, and epinephrine devices — not to custom-compounded allergen immunotherapy.
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Allergy shot names: SCIT (clinical), allergen immunotherapy (AIT), hyposensitization, allergy vaccine (WHO 1998). No brand name exists for SCIT. Grastek, Xolair, Kenalog, and EpiPen all belong to separate product categories.
The essentials
The clinical name for allergy shots is subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), per the AAAAI/ACAAI/JCAAI Practice Parameter Third Update (Cox L, Nelson H, Lockey R et al., J Allergy Clin Immunol 2011;127(1 Suppl):S1-S55, DOI 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.09.034). The synonyms and alternative names include allergen immunotherapy (AIT), specific immunotherapy (SIT), allergen-specific immunotherapy, hyposensitization (the original Noon 1911 term), desensitization (dominant in mid-20th century usage), and allergen vaccine (endorsed by WHO in 1998 per Bousquet J, Lockey R, Malling HJ, J Allergy Clin Immunol 1998;102(4 Pt 1):558-562, PMID 9802362).
Whichever 'allergy shot' name a patient brings in, Curex's at-home IgE blood test with allergist review confirms which allergens are clinically relevant before any prescription — branded or compounded — is started.
SCIT itself has no brand name because it is custom-compounded per patient by an allergist from FDA-licensed allergen extracts. Extract source-names (e.g., Greer Standardized Cat Hair extract, FDA US License #308; Stallergenes Greer Timothy Grass Pollen extract; ALK-Abelló D. pteronyssinus extract) are regulatory designations for the source allergen, not drug brand names for a manufactured pharmaceutical product.
Brand names in the allergy space fall into four distinct categories — none of them SCIT:
SLIT TABLETS (sublingual immunotherapy, FDA-approved, not injected): Grastek (timothy grass, ALK-Abelló), Oralair (5-grass mix, Stallergenes), Ragwitek (short ragweed, Merck), Odactra (house dust mite, ALK-Abelló). All four carry FDA boxed warnings for anaphylaxis or severe laryngopharyngeal reactions and require a supervised first dose plus epinephrine auto-injector prescription.
BIOLOGICS (injected, NOT immunotherapy): Xolair (omalizumab, Genentech/Roche, anti-IgE, FDA 2003; food allergy indication February 16, 2024 based on OUtMATCH trial), Dupixent (dupilumab, Sanofi/Regeneron, anti-IL-4Rα, FDA March 2017 for atopic dermatitis, October 2018 for asthma), Tezspire (tezepelumab, AstraZeneca/Amgen, anti-TSLP, FDA December 17, 2021 for severe asthma ≥12).
DEPOT CORTICOSTEROIDS (symptomatic, NOT immunotherapy): Kenalog-40 (triamcinolone acetonide, Bristol-Myers Squibb, FDA February 1, 1965), Depo-Medrol (methylprednisolone acetate, Pfizer).
EPINEPHRINE DEVICES (rescue, NOT immunotherapy): EpiPen (Pfizer, FDA 1987), Auvi-Q (Kaléo, FDA 2012), neffy (epinephrine nasal spray, ARS Pharmaceuticals, FDA August 9, 2024; pediatric 1 mg dose March 5, 2025).
Curex's at-home allergy shot program (SCIT) at $129/month falls in the same subcutaneous immunotherapy class as clinic SCIT — custom-compounded per patient, same allergen-specific mechanism. The difference is delivery: one weekly self-administered shot at home, with a personalized serum sterile-compounded to USP <797> standards, a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector confirmed on hand, and board-certified allergist oversight.
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See if at-home shots are right for youFrequently asked questions
What are all the names for allergy shots?
Names for allergy shots (all referring to SCIT): subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), allergen immunotherapy (AIT), specific immunotherapy (SIT), allergen-specific immunotherapy, hyposensitization (Noon 1911), desensitization (mid-20th century), and allergen vaccine (WHO 1998 per Bousquet JACI 1998;102:558-562, PMID 9802362). All refer to the same 3-to-5-year course of escalating subcutaneous allergen extract injections defined in Cox 2011 (DOI 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.09.034). SCIT itself has no brand name — it is custom-compounded per patient.
Does SCIT have a brand name?
No. SCIT has no brand name because it is custom-compounded per patient by an allergist from FDA-licensed allergen extracts. Each treatment vial is unique to the patient's sensitization profile, concentration, and mix ratios. Xolair, Dupixent, Grastek, and Kenalog are manufactured pharmaceutical products with fixed compositions — none of them is SCIT. SCIT extracts hold FDA biologics license numbers (e.g., Greer Standardized Cat Hair extract, License #308), but the compounded treatment product itself carries no commercial brand.
What is the difference between an allergy shot name and an extract source name?
An extract source name is the regulatory designation for a specific allergen source, such as 'Stallergenes Greer Timothy Grass Pollen extract' or 'ALK-Abelló D. pteronyssinus extract.' These appear on vial labels and FDA biologics license filings. A drug brand name (Xolair, Dupixent, Grastek) belongs to a manufactured pharmaceutical product with a fixed composition. SCIT has extract source names on its components but no overarching drug brand name for the compounded treatment product. The distinction matters when patients ask 'what brand am I getting' — the correct answer is the extract manufacturer names, not a drug brand.
Is 'hyposensitization' still used as a name for allergy shots?
Hyposensitization is the original term coined by Leonard Noon in 1911 and dominant through most of the 20th century. It gradually gave way to 'desensitization' and then to 'allergen immunotherapy' and 'SCIT' as the field better characterized the underlying immune mechanism — tolerance induction rather than simple sensitivity reduction. The WHO endorsed 'allergen vaccine' as an alternative in 1998 (Bousquet JACI 1998;102:558-562, PMID 9802362), though the US AAAAI/ACAAI practice parameters reverted to 'immunotherapy' terminology in the 2011 update (Cox 2011, DOI 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.09.034). 'Hyposensitization' remains recognizable but is considered outdated in current clinical usage.
Are Grastek, Oralair, Ragwitek, and Odactra types of allergy shots?
No. Grastek (timothy grass), Oralair (5-grass mix), Ragwitek (short ragweed), and Odactra (house dust mite) are FDA-approved SLIT tablets — sublingual immunotherapy administered under the tongue, not injected. They are allergen immunotherapy products that use the same tolerance-inducing mechanism as SCIT but deliver the extract via a different route. Each requires a supervised first dose in clinic and an epinephrine auto-injector prescription due to boxed-warning risk of anaphylaxis or severe laryngopharyngeal reactions. They are classified as SLIT, not SCIT — different name, different route, same underlying immunotherapy class.
How is Kenalog different from an allergy shot?
Kenalog-40 (triamcinolone acetonide) is a depot corticosteroid injection that suppresses allergy-related inflammation for several days to weeks without modifying the underlying IgE sensitization. It is not allergen immunotherapy and does not induce allergen-specific tolerance. The AAAAI/ACAAI rhinitis parameter discourages routine single parenteral corticosteroid use and contraindicates repeated use due to HPA-axis suppression risk. SCIT (the actual allergy shots for immunotherapy) involves allergen extracts, not steroids, and modifies the immune response over 3-5 years. The name confusion arises because both involve injections; the mechanisms and goals are entirely different.
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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.