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Study: 95% of those who think they are allergic to penicillin can safely take it

Millions of people may be able to take the antibiotic after all

CLEVELAND — More than 32 million Americans have an allergy to penicillin listed in their medical records. Many say the condition stems from childhood when the antibiotic is commonly prescribed.

But a new report says over 95% of people who think they have the allergy can safely take penicillin. 

"I think this is great news that has been released because a lot of people have a penicillin allergy their entire life, and that can bring up some more issues because they use a more potent antibiotic than if they used a penicillin-based antibiotic," says Cleveland Clinic allergist Dr. Lily Pien. 

Dr. Pien says there's a distinct difference between an adverse and an allergic reaction to any medication.

"Some people call their reactions allergies, when they are actually side effects. So it's not unusual to see vomiting, diarrhea with antibiotics and they think that's an allergy to the penicillin," Dr. Pien explains. 

She says patients who have a documented allergy to penicillin are encouraged to speak with their doctor about reactions to penicillin and undergo allergy tests to determine the severity. 

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