September 28 is National Penicillin Allergy Day. Many allergists have seen patients who report they are allergic to penicillin (when in fact they may not be). Allergy experts are in a unique position to address the issue of penicillin allergy and can help make sure patients get an accurate diagnosis.
According to the CDC, 10% of the population report penicillin allergy, but less than 1% are truly allergic when evaluated. When broad-spectrum antibiotics are used as alternatives to penicillin, it can increase health care costs and the risk of antibiotic resistance, as well as limiting patients from receiving what may be the best and most effective antibiotic for their infection.
The College has resources for you to address penicillin allergy with your patients.
Start with the College’s Penicillin Toolkit. The toolkit provides information on testing and treatment; billing/coding; outreach to patients; and informing primary care physicians. It has everything you need to conduct penicillin allergy testing in your practice, including insurance guidelines, worksheets and consent forms.
The College’s Drug Allergy Protocol Library (DAPOL) covers antibiotics, including penicillin. This valuable digital toolkit helps allergists navigate the intricacies of drug allergy care with protocol templates, evidence-based references, and step-by-step clinical guidance in a centralized, user-friendly platform.
New — Educate Primary Care Physicians on Penicillin Allergy Identification and Delabeling with our downloadable slide deck. Our presentation includes informative facts, special considerations for children, low risk options for delabeling, clinic resources and explains what to do if a truly penicillin allergy exists.
For more information, read Coding for Penicillin Allergy Testing- Everything You Need to Know in 2026. Short on time? Try the College Learning Connection’s MicroCME module — in less than 20 minutes, learn about antibiotic delabeling in special populations.
Why is September 28 National Penicillin Allergy Day? It is the anniversary of the day penicillin was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928.
