Penicillin Skin Testing Returns
At long last, penicillin skin testing is back! PRE-PEN® was a widely used penicillin skin test product for over 30 years. In 2004, it was withdrawn from the market due to the lack of a dedicated penicillin manufacturing facility. Its safety was never in question, and it remains the most sensitive antibiotic skin test we have. When this product was unavailable, our ability to test for penicillin allergy was severely limited.
Many people are mislabeled “penicillin allergic” when they don’t have a true allergy. In fact, less than 20% of all patients who believe they have a penicillin allergy are truly allergic to penicillin. They may have had a reaction to penicillin, such as a rash, but this does not necessarily mean they have an allergy. Instead, they may have experienced a side effect of penicillin.
The resurgence of PRE-PEN® is extremely important both to patients and to public health in general. The alternative effective antibiotics prescribed for those thought to be penicillin allergic are usually more costly and broader spectrum, which can contribute to overall antibiotic resistance.
We are now pleased to offer PRE-PEN® skin testing in our office. If you have been labeled penicillin allergic and would like further evaluation to confirm whether it is a true allergy, please call us at 732-747-8188 for an appointment.
