Hey there all you mouseketeers...it's time for the Second Annual Allergist Poster Contest...even though it's 8 months early.  Why, you ask?  Easy. 

Because I said so.  

The First Annual Allergist Poster Contest was such a success we just had to repeat it sooner than 12 months.  And besides, there was no clear winner in our first contest.   Too many readers thought all 3 posters were equally good.  So I've had the CRAP (Committee Regarding Allergy Posters) working hard on another entry.  Meanwhile, I've been busy trying to find out where all the American Papers on Sublingual Immunotherapy are...turns out they're harder to find than O.J.'s knife...

True, we've got one nice but lonely American nice study from--you guessed it--our ENT colleagues in Ear Nose & Throat by Saporta & McDaniel , and a host of international studies--but where are our American Studies sponsored and supported by our American allergy academia?    I mean, if you look at the literature for 2007 alone, you will find more non-American SLIT studies than you can shake a caduceus at--from Antony, France; Turin,Italy; Melbourne, Australia; Murcia, Spain; Vienna,Austria; Istanbul, Turkey; Turku, Finland; Madrid, Spain; Messina, Italy; Como, Italy; Bari, Italy; Hoersholm, Denmark etc. etc. etc. We American Allergists are so busy demonstrating proper inhaler technique to our asthma patients we forget to study what we do best--immunotherapy.  And we ignore a particular form of immunotherapy that just plain rocks:  SLIT...

Earth calling all American Allergists--come in, please.  

Houston, we have a problem... 

So this year, our poster is set to epitomize the American Allergists interest in researching Sublingual Immunotherapy for ourselves...after all, if American Allergists are not just paying "lip service" to our European colleagues when they say they agree they've shown efficacy and safety for SLIT, then there ought to be a TON of research churned out by the Ivory Tower Types on SLIT from American institutions, right?  I mean we should see articles every other issue or so in the major allergy journals from American allergists investigating various forms/regimens of SLIT. 

Well, Gladstone, they ain't there.  

So, here's where I slap on another "Black Box Warning" for you faint-of-hearts, before I formally announce the official finalists in the Second Annual Allergist Poster contest--a contest to epitomize and symbolize the American Allergists interest in SLIT.  Here goes:

OK, those of you brave but curious souls who have read and accept the Black Box Warning to the left, you can see the finalists listed below, and I have to tell you in advance they're doozies.  The Ultimate "loose cannon" of allergists--the Angry Allergist--chose these finalists himself, after recommendations from our committee.   Frankly, even I have trouble choosing between them.  But don't worry, you can't go wrong.  Any choice seems ok with me.  The CRAP will tally votes, and then we'll announce a winner if we have one in an upcoming Blog listing. So drop me an email and vote now!   Operators are standing by.     Later, Dude. 

 Finalists in the Second Annual Allergist Poster Contest:

     Entry 1:        Entry 2:        Entry 3: