95 Percent of Penicillin Allergy Diagnoses May Be Wrong, Study Finds

Around one in 10 people with penicillin allergies do not have it, a new study has found.
95 Percent of Penicillin Allergy Diagnoses May Be Wrong, Study Finds
Braxton Kimura shows his EpiPens at home on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, in San Jose, Calif. AP Photo/Terry Chea
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About one in 10 people who believe they are allergic to penicillin are not, according to new international research that suggests most allergy labels recorded in hospitals are incorrect.

The study, led by the University of Melbourne and published in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal, found that 95 percent of patients who reported a penicillin allergy were able to safely take the antibiotic after testing.