Double Blind Placebo Controlled Food Challenge
A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Food Challenge (DBPCFC) is a medical diagnostic test where a patient is given gradually increasing amounts of a suspected food allergen and a placebo on separate occasions. Neither the patient nor the evaluating clinician knows which substance is being administered. It is designed to eliminate psychological bias and objective reporting errors in diagnosing food hypersensitivity.
Dosage by Body Weight
Dosage does not follow standard pharmacological dosing. It is a diagnostic protocol involving graded, incremental oral doses of the suspected allergen (starting at microgram or milligram levels of active food protein) and an identical placebo, administered at 15-to-30-minute intervals under strict medical supervision.
- Body Weight
- Below 5 kg
- Dose
- Custom micro-doses
- Frequency
- Single diagnostic procedure
- Tracking Notes
- Rarely performed in infants under 5 kg; requires highly specialized pediatric allergy supervision and customized infant protocols.
- Body Weight
- 5-7 kg
- Dose
- Graduated protocol starting at micro-gram range
- Frequency
- Single diagnostic procedure
- Tracking Notes
- Administered in incremental steps every 15-30 minutes under active medical monitoring with emergency resuscitation backup.
- Body Weight
- 8-10 kg
- Dose
- Graduated protocol starting at low milligram range
- Frequency
- Single diagnostic procedure
- Tracking Notes
- Doses are progressively increased up to a cumulative weight-appropriate food portion.
- Body Weight
- 11-15 kg
- Dose
- Graduated protocol starting at standard initial protocol dose
- Frequency
- Single diagnostic procedure
- Tracking Notes
- Standard pediatric escalation schedule ending in a cumulative target serving size of the allergen.
- Body Weight
- 16-20 kg
- Dose
- Graduated protocol starting at standard initial protocol dose
- Frequency
- Single diagnostic procedure
- Tracking Notes
- Standard pediatric escalation schedule ending in a cumulative target serving size of the allergen.
| Body Weight | Dose | Frequency | Tracking Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below 5 kg | Custom micro-doses | Single diagnostic procedure | Rarely performed in infants under 5 kg; requires highly specialized pediatric allergy supervision and customized infant protocols. |
| 5-7 kg | Graduated protocol starting at micro-gram range | Single diagnostic procedure | Administered in incremental steps every 15-30 minutes under active medical monitoring with emergency resuscitation backup. |
| 8-10 kg | Graduated protocol starting at low milligram range | Single diagnostic procedure | Doses are progressively increased up to a cumulative weight-appropriate food portion. |
| 11-15 kg | Graduated protocol starting at standard initial protocol dose | Single diagnostic procedure | Standard pediatric escalation schedule ending in a cumulative target serving size of the allergen. |
| 16-20 kg | Graduated protocol starting at standard initial protocol dose | Single diagnostic procedure | Standard pediatric escalation schedule ending in a cumulative target serving size of the allergen. |
Formulation
Purpose
The gold standard diagnostic procedure used to definitively confirm or rule out specific food allergies.
Generic Name
Oral Food Challenge ProtocolScheduled Drug
No. This medicine is generally not treated as a scheduled/prescription-only drug in common consumer references, but local rules may vary.