Could your penicillin allergy label be incorrect?
What is an oral penicillin provocation challenge?
The challenge is a carefully supervised test in which an eligible patient takes a small dose, or graded doses, of a penicillin-type antibiotic by mouth. At Portage Clinic, the process involves no needles, is painless, and is supervised by trained physicians and nurses.
1. Medical review
We review your previous reaction, medical history, medications and whether this test is appropriate for you.
2. Oral medication
You receive the medication by mouth while the clinical team monitors you closely.
3. Observation
You remain in the clinic for observation. The full appointment usually takes about 90 minutes.
Why reconsider a penicillin allergy?
~10%
Report an allergy
About one in ten patients report a penicillin allergy.
<1%
Are truly allergic
Fewer than one in one hundred people in the general population are truly allergic when properly assessed.
90%+
May be able to remove the label
Most people carrying a penicillin-allergy label can tolerate penicillin after appropriate assessment.
Benefits of removing an incorrect allergy label
More treatment choices: Penicillin and related antibiotics are often the best first-line treatment for common infections.
More targeted antibiotics: Removing an incorrect label may reduce the need for broader-spectrum alternatives.
Potentially fewer side effects and complications: Alternative antibiotics can sometimes be less effective, more expensive, or carry different risks.
Better antibiotic stewardship: Using the most appropriate narrow-spectrum antibiotic helps reduce unnecessary antibiotic resistance.
Useful for future care: A clarified allergy history can help during infections, surgery, pregnancy, dental treatment and hospital care.
Who may not be suitable for a direct oral challenge?
Not everyone should proceed directly to an oral challenge. Your history will be reviewed first. Please tell us if your previous reaction involved severe breathing difficulty, loss of consciousness, intensive-care treatment, blistering or peeling skin, mouth or eye sores, organ injury, severe anemia, or another serious delayed reaction.
Important: Completing this questionnaire does not guarantee that testing will be offered. A clinician will review your information and determine the safest next step. Do not take penicillin or amoxicillin on your own to test an allergy.
Penicillin Allergy Screening Questionnaire
Please complete the form below. The allergy-testing team will review your answers and contact you if more information or an appointment is required.
"*" indicates required fields
This form is not for emergencies. For severe symptoms or a current allergic reaction, call 911 or seek urgent medical care..
Evidence used for this patient information
The statistics and clinical approach reflected here are based on guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, and the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Final wording and eligibility criteria should be reviewed and approved by the Portage Clinic allergy-testing team before publication.