Majority of Australians who report penicillin allergy not truly allergic
News Source
β’Wed, 21 Oct 2026 14:00:20 GMT
π° What Happened
Australia's peak body for allergy doctors has changed its guidelines on penicillin. New evidence shows up to 90 per cent of people who say they are allergic do not really have the allergy. About 2.8 million Australians carry the label.
The advice is published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. It tells GPs how to check a suspected allergy and when to send a patient to a specialist. Doctors say the label often comes from a rash or nausea years ago.
π The Backstory
Some people were told as children that they reacted to penicillin and never had it checked. Doctors also record side effects as allergies to be safe. A wrong label means patients get stronger, broader drugs instead.
Broad antibiotics kill good gut bacteria and help superbugs spread. People labelled allergic also go to hospital more and stay longer. Professor Michaela Lucas says fixing wrong labels needs all health workers, not just the 300 immunologists.
π― Why It Matters
Fixing a wrong allergy label can give patients better, cheaper treatment and helps slow the growth of antibiotic resistance.
Australia's peak body for allergy doctors has changed its guidelines on penicillin. New evidence shows up to 90 per cent of people who say they are allergic do not really have the allergy. About 2.8 million Australians carry the label.
The advice is published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. It tells GPs how to check a suspected allergy and when to send a patient to a specialist. Doctors say the label often comes from a rash or nausea years ago.
Some people were told as children that they reacted to penicillin and never had it checked. Doctors also record side effects as allergies to be safe. A wrong label means patients get stronger, broader drugs instead.
Broad antibiotics kill good gut bacteria and help superbugs spread. People labelled allergic also go to hospital more and stay longer. Professor Michaela Lucas says fixing wrong labels needs all health workers, not just the 300 immunologists.
Fixing a wrong allergy label can give patients better, cheaper treatment and helps slow the growth of antibiotic resistance.