Food Allergies - Beyond Avoidance: A Conversation with FAST OIT Co-Founder Dr. Doug Jones

In this episode, Dr. Alice Hoyt sits down with Dr. Doug Jones — board-certified allergist, co-founder and president of FAST OIT (Food Allergy Support Team), and host of The Immune Edit podcast — fresh off the FAST OIT Conference in Dallas. Dr. Jones shares the patient encounter that changed the trajectory of his career: a family facing five simultaneous food allergies, a room full of tears, and a doctor who left the appointment and put his head on his desk in frustration. That moment sent him on a path to find something better, and eventually to Dr. Richard Wasserman, OIT, and building one of the most influential food allergy treatment communities in the world. Together, Dr. Hoyt and Dr. Jones cover a lot of ground — including the complicated history of why OIT took so long to reach patients, what happens when business models and patient outcomes don't align, and why the next frontier is getting this treatment into mainstream allergy training. In this episode: ~Why telling families "just avoid it and carry your EpiPen" never felt like enough ~The family that changed Dr. Jones's career — and what he did after they left his office ~How connecting with Dr. Wasserman in 2012 set everything in motion ~The divide between private practice and academia on OIT, and why it's finally shifting ~Why Palforzia mattered even for doctors who weren't using it ~What FAST OIT's email list of 700+ allergists is doing to break down silos ~The importance of patient goals — and why "bite proof" means something different to everyone ~Why teens and college students with food allergies are a population we need to reach ~What it means to ethically market your practice as an allergist ~Dr. Jones's biggest aha moment from this year's conference ~FAST London 2027 — and why the global expansion matters Connect with Dr. Doug Jones: Instagram: @DrDougJones Website: doctordougjones.com, myimmunenetwork.com, fastoit.org Podcast: The Immune Edit