The College is proud to be a national sponsor of National Penicillin Allergy Day on Sept. 28. The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness about penicillin allergy and its potential impact on personal and public health. The date is noteworthy, as it is the anniversary of the day penicillin was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928.
As allergy specialists, we know the statistics – that allergy to penicillin is the most commonly reported drug allergy and that nine out of 10 patients reporting as penicillin allergic are not truly allergic. Over-reporting can lead to a greater use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, higher costs for patients and increased drug resistance. Antibiotic resistance is an important, growing threat to public health not just in the U.S. but globally.
As the allergy expert you are in a unique to position to help raise awareness around the issue of penicillin allergy and its impact on public health. Take a stand and join the movement today.
You can find resources on nationalpenicillinallergyday.com The campaign website will provide you with:
- Sample tweets and Facebook posts to show your support for National Penicillin Allergy Day.
- Sample newsletter and email copy to help educate your community and referral network.
- Free patient education.
- A Grand Rounds presentation template.
Also, check out our penicillin toolkit in the College’s Practice Management Center. The toolkit has everything you need to conduct penicillin allergy testing in your practice, including insurance guidelines, worksheets, consent forms and patient education materials.
