Pharmacy First: Penicillin Allergy

Sunday, 28 September 2025, was National Penicillin Allergy Day, marking the anniversary of Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin on 28 September 1928. It’s a timely reminder of the importance of preserving the effectiveness of this life-saving antibiotic.

Around 10% of parents report a penicillin allergy in their child, yet true allergy is very rare, affecting fewer than 0.1%. GP records show allergy rates of around 2.9% in children, while 6% of UK adults are labelled as allergic. The majority of these labels are incorrect.

Penicillin allergy labels are associated with negative outcomes, including increased mortality, higher healthcare costs, and greater antimicrobial resistance (AMR), driven by the use of alternative antibiotics.

Please make sure you check the patient’s national care record before supplying against a PGD.

Type 1 hypersensitivity reactions to penicillin almost always occur within an hour of a penicillin antibiotic. Click here to read about signs and symptoms of a Type 1 hypersensitivity reaction

There is more information on the RPS website for pharmacy teams:

• Penicillin allergy checklist | RPS