Millions of people mistakenly believe they are allergic to penicillin, stopping them from taking the best antibiotic medicine available.
This means their health could be compromised by receiving different antibiotics that may be less effective, prolong recovery periods and could cause admission to hospital.
Around 6% of people have a penicillin allergy label on their medical record, equating to 4 million people in the UK, yet over 90% of patients are found not to have an allergy to it when fully assessed.
Being labelled allergic to penicillin is associated with a higher mortality rate of an extra 6 deaths per 1000 patients in the year following treatment for infection.
Antimicrobial experts at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has put out a checklist for pharmacists to inform patients about penicillin allergy.
They are also asking patients to check their medical record the next time they visit their GP to ensure they are not wrongly labelled as allergic to penicillin.
People may believe they are allergic to penicillin due to common side effects and symptoms like nausea or diarrhoea or a rash.
However, they are often confused with allergic reactions and usually pass once the course of treatment has finished
Additionally, an allergy reported years ago in childhood might have settled down now.
But once on a patient’s record, a penicillin allergy label can remain there for years without question, compromising their treatment.
‘Many individuals are at low, or very low risk, of having a genuine penicillin allergy and we often find that after careful investigation that they can take penicillin safely,’ said RPS spokesperson Ms Tase Oputu.
‘Patients should talk to their pharmacist or other health professional to help understand the difference between side effects and allergic reactions, which can sometimes look similar, so they receive the most effective treatment for their needs.’
‘Many people have had a label of having a penicillin allergy from early childhood often after having a rash with antibiotics. This label can be carried with them the rest of their lives, without it ever being investigated,’ said Amena Warner, Head of Clinical Services for Allergy UK.
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