Boing Boing

Boing Boing

90% of reported penicillin allergies are false, research reveals

Ellsworth Toohey
Aug 04, 2025
∙ Paid

Vintage 1955 Vials of Pfizer Penicillin (Walter Cicchetti / Shutterstock.com)

Nine out of ten people who believe they're allergic to penicillin actually aren't, and this widespread misunderstanding has serious healthcare implications.

Research shows that while 10-20% of Americans report a penicillin allergy, fewer than 1% truly have one, according to Eliz…

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Boing Boing.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 Happy Mutants LLC · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture