It is estimated in the UK that around 2.7 million people are identified as being allergic to penicillin. However, around 95% are incorrectly labelled when tested. There is a common misconception that once diagnosed, the allergy is permanent. It is not. Figures show that about 50% of people diagnosed with the allergy outgrow it within 5 years and 80% will outgrow it within 10 years.

Does it matter if patients are wrongly labelled as allergic to Penicillin?

Yes, it can have serious consequences. We are acting for a lady who was diagnosed as allergic to Penicillin some 25 years ago. She was suffering from a gastric infection - Helicobacter Pylori. Our client was denied the right kind of antibiotics to treat the infection because it was thought she was still allergic to Penicillin. In fact, she had outgrown the allergy.  As a result, the gastric infection couldn’t be treated properly, and she has suffered permanent disability as a result.

Do I have a claim?

If you were diagnosed as allergic to Penicillin more than say 5 years ago and you haven’t been retested and have been denied proper antibiotics as a result, then you may have a claim. If you have been diagnosed with the allergy more than 5 years ago, we would recommend that you ask your GP to be retested as the results of the further test could have important implications for your future medical treatment.

If you think you may have a claim and wish to discuss the matter,  please contact us as soon as possible on 0800 988 8082 or complete our online enquiry form and a member of our team will get back to you.