Read the AAAAI’s Position Statement on Penicillin Allergy

The AAAAI has issued a position statement on penicillin allergy which advocates for increased utilization of penicillin allergy testing in order to reduce antibiotic resistance.

As many as 9 out of 10 patients who are given a skin prick test are not allergic to penicillin. Unverified penicillin allergies can lead to longer hospitalization, higher cost, risks associated with alternative medications, and contributes to the rise of antibiotic resistant infections.

As lead author of the Penicillin Allergy and Antibiotic Resistance Work Group that wrote the position statement, David M. Lang, MD, FAAAAI, noted, “Our work group believes passionately in the importance of providing care based on best evidence to patients with a history of penicillin allergy, and also in the importance of communicating the justification for penicillin allergy skin testing to healthcare providers and to the patients whom we have the privilege to serve. As AAAAI members are well aware, there is a morbidity associated with the label of ‘penicillin allergy’ that until recently has been unmeasured and underappreciated. At a time when value-based reimbursement is on the horizon, we can make a difference by performing penicillin allergy skin testing in properly selected patients.”

To read the full position statement, click here.