Most Americans Who Think They're Allergic to Penicillin Aren't, Study Finds

BOSTON (CBS)- Think you're allergic to penicillin?  Chances are...you're not.  In fact, more than 30 million people in the United States wrongly believe they're allergic to penicillin.

Many people report that they're allergic to penicillin, or amoxicillin, or one of the other penicillin's, often saying they're mom told them they had some type of reaction when they were little.

So many doctors turn to other types of antibiotics to treat common ailments like strep throat or ear infections, which may be more expensive, have more side effects, and could contribute to greater antibiotic resistance.

But a professor at the University of Georgia says most of these people probably don't have a true allergy and even if they did, most will lose their allergy to penicillin within 5 to 10 years.

He says a simple questionnaire can rule out many of these misconceptions and then a simple allergy skin test can rule out the rest.