ACAAI: Penicillin Feasible Even for Those With Prior Allergy

Many people who’ve been told they’re allergic to penicillin may be able to safely take the drug, a small study suggests. The research was scheduled to be presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, held from Nov. 5 to 9 in San Antonio.

The researchers examined the medical records of 15 people who tested negative for penicillin allergy after being told they were allergic. They were then treated with intravenous penicillin multiple times.

Of the patients whose records we examined, there were no adverse drug reactions or evidence of recurrence of their penicillin allergy,” study author and allergist David Khan, M.D., said in a College news release. “There is often thought to be a higher risk in patients who get intravenous penicillin, but we did not find this to be the case.”

Previous reported reactions included rash, hives, and swollen lips, Khan said. But the study found none of those reactions after allergy testing and treatment with multiple courses of intravenous penicillins.

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