Reading time: 9 minutes

Chinese allergy and clinical immunology has grown substantially over the past two decades. Beijing Tongren Hospital established China’s first allergy department in 1956, and Peking Union Medical College Hospital’s allergy department is another long-standing reference centre [1]. Allergen skin prick testing and serum-specific IgE panels are widely available; allergen-specific immunotherapy (SCIT and SLIT) for house dust mite is established practice; and biologics for severe asthma — omalizumab, mepolizumab, benralizumab, dupilumab — are all approved in China by the NMPA [2]. This article works through which scenarios make sense for cross-border evaluation, the treatments available, and typical costs.

1. When Travelling to China for Allergy or Immunology Care Makes Sense

  1. Refractory allergic rhinitis or asthma — evaluation for immunotherapy suitability
  2. Suspected multiple allergies or undefined-trigger asthma — comprehensive allergen workup
  3. Atopic dermatitis requiring biologics (see Article #67)
  4. History of severe allergic reaction (food, drug) — confirming the trigger and an emergency action plan
  5. Primary immunodeficiency disease (PID) — complex diagnostics requiring specialised centres
  6. Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) — biologic therapy

2. Allergen Testing in China

Skin prick testing (SPT): routinely available Serum-specific IgE testing:

  1. Full inhalant panels (house dust mite, pollens, animal dander, moulds)
  2. Food allergen panels
  3. Component-resolved diagnostics (such as ISAC microarray) at selected centres

3. Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy (SCIT / SLIT)

Immunotherapy products approved in China include:

  1. SCIT (subcutaneous): house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae / Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus) extracts
  2. SLIT (sublingual): house dust mite drops

Course: standard immunotherapy runs three to five years. Practical implication for international patients: initiation is typically completed in China (one to two weeks), and the maintenance phase (monthly or daily) can continue at home — but continuation of sublingual drop prescriptions across borders requires coordination with a home-country physician.

4. Biologics for Severe Asthma

Approved in China:

  1. Omalizumab (Xolair) — anti-IgE
  2. Mepolizumab (Nucala) — anti-IL-5
  3. Benralizumab (Fasenra) — anti-IL-5 receptor
  4. Dupilumab (Dupixent) — anti-IL-4Rα
  5. Tezepelumab (Tezspire) — anti-TSLP

Cost: single dose USD 400–1,500, annual cost USD 5,000–18,000 depending on agent. These remain originator pricing at present; domestic biosimilars are at various stages of development.

5. Primary Immunodeficiency Disease (PID)

Leading Chinese centres:

  1. Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Department of Clinical Immunology
  2. Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Immunology
  3. Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Immunology

Typical care components: next-generation sequencing PID gene panels, immunoglobulin replacement (IVIG or SCIG), and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation as a curative option for selected PIDs.

6. Hospitals to Consider

Hospital City
Beijing Tongren Hospital, Department of Allergy Beijing
Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Allergy Beijing
China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Allergic Reactions Department Beijing
Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, Allergy Shanghai
Sun Yat-sen Third Hospital, Department of Allergy Guangzhou
Changzheng Hospital of the Second Military Medical University, Respiratory and Allergy Shanghai

7. Typical Process

Comprehensive allergy evaluation (3–5 days):

  1. Days 1–2: allergen skin prick test, serum-specific IgE, and challenge testing if indicated
  2. Days 3–4: results interpretation and plan
  3. Day 5: immunotherapy or biologic initiation

8. Typical Costs (USD, 1 USD = 6.5 RMB)

Item Public tertiary international dept. High-end private
Allergy specialist consultation 80–250 150–400
Comprehensive allergen testing (inhalant + food) 250–600 400–1,000
Component-resolved specific IgE 300–800 500–1,200
SCIT initiation plus first year (monthly injections) 800–1,500 1,200–2,500
SLIT drops annual cost 500–1,200 800–1,800
Omalizumab annual cost 5,500–12,000 8,000–18,000
Dupilumab annual cost 6,500–13,000 10,000–20,000
IVIG replacement (monthly) 1,500–3,500 2,500–5,500

9. Handing Care Back Home

  1. SCIT / SLIT maintenance requires coordination with a home-country allergy specialist (drugs may need fresh prescription locally)
  2. Biologics can be continued at home — confirm the same international non-proprietary name (INN) is available
  3. IVIG and SCIG are available globally

10. What MedCareInChina Can and Cannot Do on the Allergy and Immunology Pathway

Our two products are Remote Consultation and In-China Accompanied Care.

  1. Remote Consultation: a USD 800 single-expert consultation with an allergy and immunology specialist who reviews your records
  2. In-China Accompanied Care: hospital accompaniment with translation through evaluation and treatment initiation

What we do not do: long-term immunotherapy management, cross-border prescription transport.

11. Action Checklist

  1. Bring a symptom diary, prior allergen test results, and medication history
  2. Engage a remote consultation to assess plan
  3. Apply for an S2 visa
  4. Plan 3–5 days in China
  5. Coordinate continuation of immunotherapy with a home-country allergy specialist before returning

Sources

[1] Beijing Tongren Hospital, Department of Allergy — institutional history and team: https://www.trhos.com/ [2] National Medical Products Administration of China — Approval records for omalizumab, dupilumab, and related biologics: https://www.nmpa.gov.cn/ [3] World Allergy Organization — Guidelines: https://www.worldallergy.org/ [4] Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) — GINA strategy: https://ginasthma.org/