New Campaign Tackles Misdiagnosed Penicillin Allergies

Key points

• Research suggests up to nine in ten Australians recorded as penicillin allergic are not actually allergic. Mislabelled patients are often prescribed less effective treatments, which can lead to longer hospital stays and antibiotic resistance.
• A new national awareness campaign by the National Allergy Council, backed by new clinical guidelines, aims to help GPs safely test and remove the label from low-risk patients.
• Maria Said, Director and Co-chair of the National Allergy Council, discussed the risks of avoiding important antibiotics.