It's hard to keep your spirits up while
studying for the GAMSAT exam, so here’s some fantastic news in the world of medicine. Pairing a realistic
GAMSAT study schedule with stories from current research can make the long months of revision feel more purposeful. We are now one step closer in developing a treatment to prevent peanut allergies in people. Peanut allergies are fairly prevalent within Australia, affecting about 3 in every 100 children. Severe cases can result in anaphylaxis, which can cause death. That’s why news of this treatment is particularly exciting. And the fact that it may be available within just 5 years is even better.
Researchers from our very own Murdoch Children’s Research Institute conducted a study involving a trial of 62 children aged 1-10 with peanut allergies who were given a daily combination of peanut protein and a dose of probiotics (
Lactobacillus rhamnosus), over an 18-month period. The dose of the peanut protein increased over the course of the study. At the end of the 18-month period, 82% of the children had built up a tolerance to peanuts and were able to consume the equivalent of 16 peanuts four weeks after the study. That’s a significant improvement, as past studies using only peanut protein saw fewer than a third of the patients gain tolerance. The trial design, dose escalation and immune-tolerance data are also typical of the reasoning asked in the
GAMSAT science section. For readers revising related immune-system and cell biology concepts, GradReady’s
GAMSAT biology guide explains how these topics can appear in a GAMSAT context.
“Based on the results we have seen to date, if nine children were given probiotic and peanut therapy, seven would benefit. This is a very promising result, and we look forward to seeing further evidence from the current trial and progressing the development of this approach so that all children with peanut allergy can access this treatment,” said Professor Mimi Tang.
The next step was to conduct more studies to determine whether the children can develop a more permanent tolerance to peanut allergy compared to the first study, which only tested tolerance of up to 4 weeks. Having a longer term tolerance means that this treatment could act more as a vaccine, preventing all future allergic reactions from occurring after just a few doses of probiotics.
This could really be a potential cure. For aspiring doctors, breakthroughs like this are also a reminder of the impact that clinical research can have for those hoping to
study medicine in Australia. If you are already thinking about graduate entry, our guide on
how to become a doctor in Australia sets out the steps from GAMSAT through to internship. From there, the
Australian medical schools directory can help you compare programs that value this kind of research mindset.
However, conducting these such future studies and speeding things up would require more funding. Well, good news here too. This study has now been backed by $15 million, from which $8 million has been provided by Australian life sciences and technology venture capital firm OneVentures. “Peanut allergies are a massive problem and this is an innovative approach. There’s a clear path to a marketable product here that could have tremendous impact globally,” OneVentures managing partner Paul Kelly told The Australian.
The treatment has also started gaining attention of other global pharmaceutical companies and discussions are ongoing to obtain an additional $7 million from investors and partners of OneVentures. This boost to funding, on top of the international attention, is great for speeding up these trials and getting this treatment out into the world.
Professor Tang has said that further trials involving over 200 children have already begun this year in Melbourne, Australia and Perth in order to test whether the tolerance is longer-lasting by increasing the testing period to three months after the 18-month therapy has ended.
Check out our
GAMSAT To Med School Podcast for more interesting news, tips & tricks about the GAMSAT,
medical school entry requirements, and life at med school. If you are lining up your next sitting, the
GAMSAT 2026 dates and registration page lists test windows and fees. Between news stories like this one,
free GAMSAT practice questions are a useful way to keep Section 3 reasoning sharp.
