Ashok Wahi M.S. & P.E. and Dr. Paul Ratner

Inventor and Developers of Allergen Block

Host: Basima Farhat

Previously Aired On: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - Listen to the Show!
 

In an effort to help his daughter who suffered from an allergy to cats, Ashok Wahi’s put his engineering skills to work and invented a product which was tested by allergist Dr. Paul Ratner. This new product is now being sold in stores nationwide in the USA under the brand name Chloraseptic Allergen Block for adults and Little Allergies Allergen Block for kids.

Ashok Wahi, M.S., P.E. Wahi is an engineer who was motivated by his desire to help his daughter, who suffered terribly from cat allergies. Wahi didn’t want to give his daughter allergy medications which might have side effects. He found support from allergy specialist, Paul Ratner, M.D., who later became advisor to the project, providing input on product development and subsequent testing. The project goal was to find a way to help manage exposure to allergens in the air when complete avoidance was unrealistic, rather than to manage nasal allergy symptoms once they had already developed. Wahi notes, “Necessity is the mother of invention. Because of my daughter’s allergies, I wanted to develop a product that would help enhance my daughter’s—and all allergy sufferers’—quality of life.”

Ratner notes, “I have thoroughly reviewed both the patented technology that makes Allergen Block products effective, as well as the research conducted to date. These are unique treatments to help allergy sufferers control symptoms before allergens in the air enter the body and begin to elicit the nasal allergy symptoms. The approach taken by Allergen Block products could transform the way we currently look at allergy relief.”

Allergies are the fifth leading chronic disease in the U.S. among all ages, and the third most common chronic disease among children under 18. The Allergen Block products can be an effective addition to the arsenal of treatments used by the estimated 40 million American [nasal] allergy sufferers.

About Allergen Block and How It Works:

Allergen Block products, sold under the Chloraseptic™ brand for adults and the Little Remedies™ brand for children, are topical gels which are applied outside around the nostrils to block both indoor and outdoor allergens in the air on contact, thereby helping to prevent nasal allergy symptoms. Just in time for the fall allergy season, the products (each of which contains approximately 150 applications) are sold for approximately $14.99 at drug stores, mass merchandisers and supermarkets.

The Allergen Block products are patented formulations which are designed to work in a novel fashion. The gentle, positively-charged water-based gels help filter negatively-charged allergens in the air on contact. Filtering allergens in the air such as pollen, ragweed, pet dander, and dust mites helps stop them from entering the nasal passages, where they can cause allergic symptoms such as runny nose and sneezing. Therefore, unlike existing allergy products that treat allergy symptoms once the symptoms have started, Allergen Block products, when used as directed, help prevent the start of mild nasal allergy symptoms by reducing the number of allergen particles in the air from entering the nostrils.

Because these products are drug-free, they are safe to use with other medications since they lack the side effects and potential drug interactions which can often accompany the use of systemic medications. The products are safe for use in both children and adults who need a gentle way to combat allergies without the worry of drug side effects. Allergen Block products have received a Food and Drug Administration 510K registration number.

For more information on Allergen Block, log onto http://www.allergenblock.com

ASHOK WAHI M.S. & P.E.

Ashok Wahi, who was born and raised in New Delhi, received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the age of 20 while in India. He then immigrated to the United States to pursue his master’s degree in operations research at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU. He relocated to New Jersey in 1980, where he still calls home.

A licensed professional engineer in New York and New Jersey since 1982, Ashok was co-founder and Vice President of Princeton Design Group in 1999 working as consultant to pharmaceuticals, Medical, R&D facilities as well as colleges and universities in the Northeast such as Rutgers, Lafayette, Bloomfield and others. From 1994 to 1999 Ashok was a Senior Project Manager for Vanderweil Engineers in Princeton, NJ.

Ashok has also been a successful author, created and published books on Applied Yoga Techniques:

• Improve Your Golf with Yoga Techniques
• Yoga Techniques to Help You Quit Smoking
• Yoga Techniques to Help YOU Sleep Better
• Yoga For All Americans
• Yoga for Kids
• Yoga for Dads
• Yoga for Moms
• Yoga for High School Students
• Yoga for Teachers

In addition, Yoga Para Principiantes’ and Yoga Para Nino’s both Spanish titles are currently under pre-print.

Ashok co-authored a fiction novel – “The Vital Breath” - A 110,000 words love story of reincarnation spanning over two life times promoting non-violence through yoga.

Ashok is also working on a series of inventions for healthcare, medical devices and skin care products; currently under R&D and patent development.

PAUL H. RATNER, M.D., M.B.A.

Dr. Ratner began his medical practice in 1984. He specializes in the treatment of allergies, asthma and immunology in children and adults. Concurrent with the start of his medical practice, Dr. Ratner also created Sylvana Research. This research facility studies new investigational medications about to be introduced via Phase 1 through Phase 4 clinical drug trials. These trials are not limited to allergy medications. He is certified by the Drug Information Agency (DIA) as a Certified Clinical Investigator (CCI) and by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Investigators (AAPI) as a Certified Physician Investigator (CPI).

A graduate of The State University of New York at Stony Brook with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 1971, Dr. Ratner received his Medical Degree from the Albany Medical College of Union University in 1975. Dr. Ratner completed his residency in Pediatrics at Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio in 1978. He was appointed as a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics in 1979. He completed a two year fellowship in Clinical Allergy and Immunology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio in 1984. Later, he was appointed Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and served on the clinical faculty from 1984 to 1994. Dr Ratner also holds an M.B.A. degree in management from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. He is a member of Delta Mu Delta and Kappa Gamma Pi National Honor Societies.

Dr. Ratner has served as Chairman of the Allergy Section of the Texas Medical Association, Program Chairman of the Texas Allergy Society, Program Chairman of the South West Allergy Forum and Secretary of the San Antonio Allergy Society. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Allergy Society and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology, and member of the American College of Allergy, and the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is a past President of The Society of Principle Investigators. He is a core member of Clinical Research Network (CRN). Dr. Ratner is currently Chairman of the Public Relations Committee of The American College of Allergy.

Dr. Ratner served on the Board of Directors of the Winston School of San Antonio from 2001-2005 and was the Chairman of the Medical/Scientific Advisory Committee of the Winston School of San Antonio from 2001-2003 and is currently a member of the committee. He served on the Board of Directors of Any Baby Can of San Antonio from 2001- 2002. In May 2002 he was the chairperson of Any Baby Can’s fundraiser “Faces of the New Millenium”, which raised over $100,000 for the needy children of San Antonio.

As an indication of respect by his peers, Dr. Ratner has been asked to lecture worldwide on six continents on allergy, asthma and immunology to many different professional associations. He is the author of 60 articles published in peer review journals.

In addition to his numerous studies and publications, Dr. Ratner has received many honors. Dr. Ratner served 7 years in the U.S. Army Medical Corps achieving the rank of Major and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal in 1979. The Travel Grant Award from the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology was bestowed on him in 1984 and Dr. Ratner was awarded the G. Gordon Beck Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award from the American Lung Association in 1990. He currently serves on the Steering Committee for their annual Asthma Camp, Camp Broncho, which he helped found in 1989.

Dr. Ratner also provides the daily pollen counts to all local television stations and newspapers and monthly is a guest expert on WOAI’s (NBC) Four San Antonio Living TV show. His portion of the show is dedicated to a discussion of allergy related topics.

Dr. Ratner continues to strive to stay on the cutting edge of treatment for allergy, asthma and immunology both in his medical practice and as Medical Director of Sylvana Research. He welcomes the challenge to research new drugs and to determine if they are effective in treating various diseases.

January 1st, 2009 --Previous Guests--, Ashok Wahi M.S. & P.E., Paul Ratner | one comment