More on bronchial provocation tests To the Editor: The letter by Drs. Spector and Farr, in the August, 1971, issue of the JOUBKAL, expressing concern over the “use of concentrated antigen solutions for bronchial provocation tests” sug- gests two supplementary comments. 1. Bronchial provocation tests would have been adopted many years ago had experienced allergists felt that their diagnostic value justified their obvious inherent risk. 2. Increasing use of bronchial provocation tests will inevitably lead to increased malpractice fees for the practicing allergist. Ralph Bookmun, Y.D. Beverly Hilla, Calif. Reply In the first place, bronchial provocation tests have been and will continue to be used by experienced allergists, because those of us who have had experience with them do feel that sometimes they are very valuable. One of the purposes of our letter was to point out that the inherent risks involved in bronchial provocation tests can be minimized by the method out- lined. In response to Comment No. 2, if care is used in administering the bronchial provocation tests, there is no need to anticipate malpractice suita. Indeed, when will the day come when those of us who practice allergy are sued for administering an expensive series of hypo- sensitization injectione for the treatment of asthma, prescribed on the basis of skin tests, and which may or may not have been indioated in the flrst place? Sheldon L. Spector, M.D. Ridcard S. Faw, M.D. Denver, Cola. Symposium on moehanismr in hyynendivity An International Symposium on Control Mechanisms in Reagin-Mediated Hypersensi- tivity, sponsored by the Canadian Society for Immunology and the Medical Research Coun- cil of Canada, will be held in Montreal, Canada, October 16 to 18, 1972. The co-chairmen will be L. Goodfriend and A. Sehon. The program will consist of lectures by guest speakers on mechanisms controlling the synthesis of reaginic antibodies, target cell sensitization, and release of chemical mediators. Attendance at the sympoeium is open. For further in- formation, contact Dr. Lawrence Goodfriend, Division of Immunochemistry and Allergy, Royal Victoria Hospital, Mont-1 112, Quebec, Cenada. Vol. 49, No. 1, p. 6.8

Symposium on mechanisms in hypersensitivity

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More on bronchial provocation tests

To the Editor: The letter by Drs. Spector and Farr, in the August, 1971, issue of the JOUBKAL, expressing

concern over the “use of concentrated antigen solutions for bronchial provocation tests” sug- gests two supplementary comments.

1. Bronchial provocation tests would have been adopted many years ago had experienced allergists felt that their diagnostic value justified their obvious inherent risk.

2. Increasing use of bronchial provocation tests will inevitably lead to increased malpractice fees for the practicing allergist.

Ralph Bookmun, Y.D. Beverly Hilla, Calif.

Reply In the first place, bronchial provocation tests have been and will continue to be used by

experienced allergists, because those of us who have had experience with them do feel that sometimes they are very valuable. One of the purposes of our letter was to point out that the inherent risks involved in bronchial provocation tests can be minimized by the method out- lined. In response to Comment No. 2, if care is used in administering the bronchial provocation tests, there is no need to anticipate malpractice suita. Indeed, when will the day come when those of us who practice allergy are sued for administering an expensive series of hypo- sensitization injectione for the treatment of asthma, prescribed on the basis of skin tests, and which may or may not have been indioated in the flrst place?

Sheldon L. Spector, M.D. Ridcard S. Faw, M.D.

Denver, Cola.

Symposium on moehanismr in hyynendivity An International Symposium on Control Mechanisms in Reagin-Mediated Hypersensi-

tivity, sponsored by the Canadian Society for Immunology and the Medical Research Coun- cil of Canada, will be held in Montreal, Canada, October 16 to 18, 1972. The co-chairmen will be L. Goodfriend and A. Sehon. The program will consist of lectures by guest speakers on mechanisms controlling the synthesis of reaginic antibodies, target cell sensitization, and release of chemical mediators. Attendance at the sympoeium is open. For further in- formation, contact Dr. Lawrence Goodfriend, Division of Immunochemistry and Allergy, Royal Victoria Hospital, Mont-1 112, Quebec, Cenada.

Vol. 49, No. 1, p. 6.8