By Mark Gilchrist, Chair of the RPS Antimicrobial Expert Advisory Group
Millions of us are potentially missing out on the best antibiotic if we develop an infection because we mistakenly believe we’re allergic to penicillin. In this blog post, I'll look at why this happens, the potential risks involved, and what you can do to ensure you're not missing out on the best antibiotic.
The penicillin allergy puzzle
Picture this: you develop an infection, and you need antibiotics. However, when you’re told you’ll be prescribed penicillin, you say no as you believe you're allergic to it. Instead, you receive a different antibiotic that may not be as effective, potentially prolonging your recovery and increasing your risk of admission to hospital. Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common.
Approximately 6% of people in the UK (that's about 4 million people) have a penicillin allergy label on their medical record. But the truth is over 90% of these patients are not actually allergic to penicillin when they are fully assessed.
If you think you’re allergic to penicillin, speak to your pharmacist or GP next time you visit to examine why you believe you are allergic to it. The good news is, you may well be able to take it safely when needed and can get the ‘penicillin allergy’ label removed from your medical record.
The consequences of having a penicillin allergy label
Being wrongly labelled as allergic to penicillin can lead to being prescribed a second choice antibiotic which may take longer to work and increase your risk of hospital admission. Research has shown that having a penicillin allergy label is associated with an extra 6 deaths per 1000 patients in the year following treatment for infection, which is why it’s so important to address this issue.
Common misconceptions
So, why do so many people believe they're allergic to penicillin when they're not? There are several common misconceptions that contribute to this problem:
- Side effects can be confused with allergic reactions: Many people experience common side effects of antibiotics, such as nausea or diarrhoea. These symptoms are often mistaken for allergic reactions but typically subside once the course of treatment is completed.
- Infection symptoms can be misinterpreted: Sometimes, symptoms of the infection being treated, such as a rash, are misinterpreted as an allergic reaction.
- Allergies from childhood: Some people reported penicillin allergies many years ago, perhaps even in childhood. Over time, these allergies may have settled down, but the perception of an allergy remains.
What you can do
If you're concerned that you might have been mistakenly labelled as allergic to penicillin, here’s what you can do:
Talk to your pharmacist or GP next time you visit: it will help you understand your own situation, the difference between side effects and allergic reactions, and what your level of risk may be. This knowledge will help you receive the most effective treatment for your needs. And it may well be that the penicillin allergy label can be removed from your medical record by your GP.
Mistaken penicillin allergies are a significant health issue and it's vital to take a second look at them. You might just discover that you're not allergic to penicillin after all, and that knowledge could make a world of difference in your future health.
There are a small number of people who are genuinely allergic and shouldn’t take penicillin. But most people don’t have an allergy to it. It’s definitely worth finding out.
RPS has a checklist for pharmacists about penicillin allergy to inform conversations with patients.
Read more RPS blogs.