The medicines regulator has said there is no scientific basis for tests widely available in pharmacies that claim to show food intolerances.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) found that there was ��no scientifically valid test to diagnose food intolerance”. Many of the tests confirm the presence of IgG antibodies, which show only that a food has been eaten at some stage, not that someone is intolerant of it.
The HPRA said that attempting to self-diagnose a food intolerance using a test kit alone could potentially result in a delay in identifying or treating other medical conditions. It added that there was a clear distinction between food intolerance and food allergies, which can be potentially life-threatening.
“Confusing a negative food intolerance test result with a food allergy could pose serious risks if a person then goes on to consume that food type and to have a subsequent reaction,” the HPRA statement warned.
Pharmacies in Ireland charge up to €340 for the tests depending on the number of foods being checked.
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Lorraine Nolan, chief executive of the HPRA, said that food allergies could be tested only under clinical guidance. “Food intolerance is a term that has emerged to describe various unpleasant conditions such as indigestion and bloating that can occur after eating certain foods. People should not rely on the results of these test kits on their own regardless of how they are labelled and promoted,” Dr Nolan said.
She also warned that removing foods from a diet without proper guidance could result in nutritional deficiencies and impaired growth in children, which could have long-term health consequences.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI), which regulates the industry, has informed members that they should not offer food intolerance testing services.
Niall Byrne, of the PSI, said it was clear from the review that the tests were not a valid method of diagnosis. “Tests or health checks should only be performed by pharmacists or offered in pharmacies where there is an established clinical and scientific evidence base and where the validity, accuracy and reliability of the test can be assured,” he said.
“As regulated healthcare professionals, pharmacists are a trusted source of advice for the public on medicines and health matters in the community and, following today’s publication of the HPRA notice, pharmacists should no longer offer testing services to diagnose food intolerance.”
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The PSI issued guidelines in 2014 stating that pharmacists should not let commercial interests or incentives interfere with their professional judgment. The society warned pharmacists two years ago after a previous HPRA notice that they “should consider the usefulness of these tests”.
Niamh O’Connor, a registered dietician, questioned the promotion of the food intolerance tests since then. “Pharmacists pushing such intolerance tests to boost their retail sales represents a clear conflict of interest in my opinion,” Ms O’Connor said. “I have also encountered several case of parents taking their kids for food intolerance tests and putting them on extremely restrictive diets as a result, which quickly can lead to malnutrition.”
Dieticians are not permitted to offer intolerance tests to the public and risk being struck off if they do so.
The Irish Pharmacy Union which represents 97 per cent of the 1,800 pharmacies in Ireland, said that it would send advice to its members on the basis of the HPRA guidance. “Pharmacy is a scientific profession which provides evidence-based healthcare and services to patients and the public. We are glad that the agencies whose role is to set standards have now brought clarity to this area,” it said in a statement.
The Irish Food Allergy Network welcomed the HPRA guidance.