Provided by: Megan Goebel, MD (Allergist)
Allergic to penicillin? Maybe not!
The good news is that over 90% of people reporting a history of penicillin allergy are actually able to tolerate this antibiotic. Many people outgrow this allergy as they get older, while some were never actually allergic to begin with. Penicillin and amoxicillin, as well as other beta-lactam antibiotics, are important treatment options for sinus, ear, skin, and pulmonary infections.
Allergists are able to perform skin testing in the office for the major and minor determinants of penicillin in as little as 15-30 minutes. If these skin tests are negative we will observe your first dose of the antibiotic in our office to ensure safety. Our goal is to remove this medication allergy from your list so that you can be treated with the best antibiotic when indicated.