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Allergy immunotherapy · London

Subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SCIT), London.

A 3 to 5 year disease-modifying course for allergic rhinitis, allergic asthma and insect venom allergy - delivered by a consultant allergist, in a supervised clinic with full anaphylaxis cover.

A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What a private SCIT course costs in London.

Indicative ranges across our partner allergy clinics.

In short

A 3-year SCIT course in London: £4,600–£7,200 for pollen or house dust mite, £4,500–£8,500 for venom.

Stage Indicative range
Consultant allergist assessment and testing £350–£650
Year 1 SCIT (build-up + early maintenance, pollen/HDM) £1,800–£2,800
Years 2 and 3 maintenance (per year) £1,400–£2,200
Cluster protocol (build-up in 4–6 weeks) +£300–£600
Rush protocol (build-up in 1 week, inpatient monitoring) +£1,200–£2,400
Venom immunotherapy, full 3-year course £4,500–£8,500

Prices vary by clinic, by allergen mix (single vs compounded), by protocol (conventional, cluster or rush), and by whether inpatient monitoring is needed.

What SCIT is

Retraining the immune system, one injection at a time.

Not a symptom mask. A disease-modifying course that reduces allergic reactivity for years after treatment ends.

  • Allergen-specific, delivered subcutaneously

    Purified extracts of the allergen you react to are injected into the fat of the upper arm - not into a vein, not into muscle - so absorption is slow and controlled.

  • Ascending doses to a maintenance level

    The dose rises week by week during the build-up phase, then holds at a maintenance level once your immune system tolerates it - typically after 12 to 16 weeks.

  • A 3 to 5 year commitment

    Monthly maintenance injections continue for 3 years for pollen and house dust mite, and 5 years for insect venom. Benefit persists for years after stopping.

Who benefits

When SCIT is the right step - and when it is not.

The clinical pictures where SCIT is disease-modifying, and the situations where we treat something else first.

  • Moderate to severe allergic rhinitis

    Seasonal or perennial rhinoconjunctivitis that has not settled on a nasal steroid plus a non-sedating antihistamine used properly for a full season.

  • Allergic asthma driven by an identified allergen

    Well-controlled asthma with a clear allergen driver on testing - grass, birch, house dust mite, cat or dog - where allergen avoidance is not realistic.

  • Polysensitisation with a personalised mix

    Multiple relevant sensitisations where combining allergens in one subcutaneous mix is cleaner than layering several SLIT tablets.

  • Insect venom allergy after anaphylaxis

    Systemic reaction to a bee or wasp sting with confirmed venom-specific IgE - venom immunotherapy is disease-modifying and life-changing.

  • Adherence concerns for daily SLIT

    A patient who prefers a supervised clinic injection every few weeks over remembering a daily under-the-tongue tablet for 3 years.

  • House dust mite driving year-round symptoms

    Perennial rhinitis and asthma with clear HDM sensitisation where environmental control has plateaued.

  • Cat or dog allergy in an unavoidable home

    A confirmed pet allergy where the pet is staying - SCIT can lower reactivity enough to keep the household intact.

  • Red flag: uncontrolled asthma

    Frequent oral steroid courses, FEV1 below 70%, or an ITU admission in the past year - we treat the asthma first, and only then consider SCIT.

Allergens & protocols

SCIT is a family of extracts and schedules - not one product.

What each vial and each schedule on the table actually involves. For polysensitised patients, most centres will compound a personalised mix based on your specific-IgE profile.

  • Grass pollen (timothy mix)

    Seasonal hay fever driven by grass - the commonest indication. Best started 3 to 4 months before the season for perennial protocols, or year-round.

  • Tree pollen (birch mix)

    Early-spring rhinitis and oral allergy syndrome - birch, alder and hazel cross-react. Component testing to Bet v 1 helps guide the choice.

  • House dust mite

    Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and farinae extracts for perennial rhinitis and allergic asthma. Longest-established SCIT indication after grass.

  • Cat and dog dander

    Personalised mixes for confirmed pet allergy, particularly where the pet remains in the home. Response is slower and less complete than pollen.

  • Moulds and ragweed

    Alternaria and Cladosporium for damp-driven rhinitis, ragweed for late-summer symptoms - both available as compounded SCIT mixes in specialist centres.

  • Bee and wasp venom

    The classical life-saving indication. A 3 to 5 year course after a systemic sting reaction, protecting against future anaphylaxis.

  • Cluster and rush schedules

    Faster protocols that condense the build-up phase - useful when the pollen season is close or when adherence to weekly visits is difficult.

  • Compounded personalised mixes

    For polysensitised patients, allergens are combined in one vial based on the clinical picture and specific-IgE results, rather than treated one at a time.

Rush protocol

Maintenance in 1 week

Ascending doses given over 3 to 5 days, often as a day-case or short inpatient stay with continuous monitoring. Reserved for urgent cases - typically venom immunotherapy after a recent systemic reaction. Antihistamine premedication is mandatory and systemic reaction rates are higher than conventional build-up.

Cluster protocol

Maintenance in 4 to 6 weeks

Two injections per visit, twice weekly, condensing the build-up into 4 to 6 weeks. Useful for patients travelling in from outside London, or for pollen SCIT started close to the season. Antihistamine premedication is standard.

SCIT vs SLIT

The honest comparison.

SCIT (this page)

  • Supervised clinic injection, weekly then monthly.
  • Personalised mixes for polysensitised patients.
  • The only realistic option for insect venom allergy.
  • Systemic reaction risk roughly 1 per 10,000 to 100,000 doses.
  • More effective for some indications, in expert hands.

SLIT

  • Daily under-the-tongue tablet or drop, at home.
  • Single-allergen licensed products (grass, birch, HDM, ragweed).
  • Not offered for insect venom allergy.
  • Much safer - anaphylaxis is exceptionally rare.
  • Adherence to a daily tablet for 3 years is the main hurdle.

Safety and eligibility

What can go wrong - and who should not have SCIT.

SCIT is a well-established treatment with a low but real risk of systemic reactions. The eligibility rules exist to keep that risk vanishingly small.

  • Local swelling at the injection site

    The commonest reaction - a warm, itchy lump for 24 to 48 hours. Rarely limits treatment; cool packs and an antihistamine help.

  • Systemic reactions are uncommon

    Generalised urticaria, wheeze or hypotension occur in a small minority. Most respond quickly to antihistamine, salbutamol or intramuscular adrenaline.

  • Anaphylaxis is rare

    Roughly 1 systemic reaction per 10,000 to 100,000 injections, with a much smaller fraction meeting the definition of anaphylaxis. Adrenaline is drawn up and ready at every visit.

  • Observation after every injection

    30 to 60 minutes on site after each dose - never leave early. Most systemic reactions happen within this window.

  • Premedication for cluster and rush

    A non-sedating antihistamine 2 hours before each visit reduces both local and systemic reactions in condensed protocols.

  • Asthma flare is uncommon but real

    A drop in peak flow or new wheeze after an injection needs prompt salbutamol and a review before the next dose - never inject an asthmatic in a flare.

  • Beta-blockers block rescue

    Beta-blockers blunt the response to adrenaline. If they cannot be stopped, SCIT is not offered - the risk of a failed rescue is unacceptable.

  • Pregnancy - continue, do not start

    Maintenance SCIT can usually continue through pregnancy; a new build-up should not be started until after delivery.

  • Red flags after an injection

    Wheeze, throat tightness, widespread rash, dizziness or vomiting - stay in the clinic, or if at home, use your adrenaline auto-injector and call 999.

Not suitable if

  • Uncontrolled asthma or FEV1 persistently below 70%.
  • On a beta-blocker that cannot be safely stopped.
  • Pregnancy - for initiation of a new course.
  • Severe cardiovascular disease or unstable angina.
  • Active malignancy under treatment.
  • Significant immunodeficiency or ongoing immunosuppression.
  • Unable to attend clinic reliably for observation.

Reading your SCIT record

Your SCIT notes in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever allergen and protocol are used, the record the clinic keeps for you follows the same shape.

A UK consultant allergist reviewing a subcutaneous immunotherapy record

A quiet reminder

Immunotherapy language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the record before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Allergens, extract concentrations and manufacturer

    Which allergens are in the vial, from which manufacturer, at what concentration - this is the record of what you are actually being injected with.

  2. 02 Schedule

    Build-up doses and maintenance target

    The ascending dose ladder, the interval between visits, and the maintenance dose you are aiming for once build-up is complete.

  3. 03 Findings

    Local and systemic reactions logged

    A running record of every reaction - size of the local swelling, any systemic symptoms, and any dose adjustments the consultant has made.

  4. 04 Impression

    Symptom scores and stopping criteria

    Read this first: how your symptom and medication scores have changed each season, and when the consultant plans to stop the course.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Cover for SCIT varies by insurer and by indication.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about SCIT.

Quick answers on SLIT vs SCIT, cover, paediatric use, duration and anaphylaxis risk.

  • Does SCIT cure my allergy?

    SCIT is disease-modifying, not a cure. A full 3 to 5 year course substantially reduces symptoms and medication use in most patients and, unlike antihistamines, the benefit typically persists for years after stopping. A minority get little benefit and stop early.

  • How does SCIT compare with SLIT?

    SLIT (sublingual immunotherapy) is a daily under-the-tongue tablet or drop, taken at home, licensed as a single allergen product. SCIT is a clinic injection with a personalised mix, particularly useful for polysensitisation, insect venom allergy and patients who prefer supervised delivery. SCIT is more effective for some indications; SLIT is safer and more convenient.

  • Will insurance cover it?

    Cover is patchy. Some insurers reimburse SCIT for allergic rhinitis and asthma with prior authorisation, others exclude it entirely. Venom immunotherapy is more consistently covered.

  • Can children have SCIT?

    Yes, from around age 5 for pollens and house dust mite, and from any age for venom allergy after anaphylaxis. Paediatric SCIT is delivered in a paediatric allergy clinic with the same observation and adrenaline standby as for adults.

  • How long does the course last?

    Three to five years is standard - 3 for most pollen and house dust mite courses, 5 for venom. Stopping earlier than 3 years gives poor long-term benefit and is rarely worthwhile.

  • What is the risk of anaphylaxis?

    Systemic reactions occur in roughly 1 per 10,000 to 100,000 injections, and the fraction meeting the definition of anaphylaxis is smaller still. Deaths from SCIT in supervised units are exceptionally rare. This is why every injection is followed by 30 to 60 minutes of observation with adrenaline drawn up and ready.

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