Oral challenge

Definition: An oral challenge is a procedure performed under medical supervision where a person takes a particular food or medication by mouth in order to assure that no allergic reaction occurs. These challenges may include a placebo step to ensure that the reaction in question is real. Placebo-controlled oral challenges may be "single-blinded" (the person does not know exactly what is being taken) or "double-blinded" (the person and the caregiver administering the challenge do not know what exactly is being taken). Many oral challenges do not include a placebo step and are consider to be "open" (all persons involved know what is being taken).