Millions wrongly told they're allergic to penicillin? study tests a fix.
NCT ID NCT03581604
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a standard allergy work-up can accurately identify people who were incorrectly labeled as allergic to penicillin. 155 adults with a suspected penicillin allergy went through testing, including a drug challenge to confirm if they were truly allergic. The goal was to safely 'de-label' those who are not actually allergic, which could improve antibiotic choices and help fight antibiotic resistance.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Allergy work-up (diagnostic test)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help many people who were told they are allergic to penicillin find out they are not, allowing safer and more effective antibiotic treatment.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study with 155 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The allergy work-up may not catch all true allergies, and some people could still have a reaction.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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155 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2017
- Finished
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Dec 2023
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 85 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients who are referred to the department of Pulmonary medicine with clinical history suspected of having penicillin allergy. * The control group will be healthy adult volunteers with no history of any personal or family history of drug allergy, atopy, inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. Exclusion Criteria: * Systemic reactions such as DRESS, any internal organ involvement * Clinical history of Type II-III hypersensitivity reaction * Severe Type IV hypersensitivity reaction such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, DRESS, vasculitis, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis * Chronic idiopathic urticaria on antihistamine maintenance treatment/anti-IgE treatment * Medication which can affect the test outcome * Active signs of an underlying disease such as uncontrolled asthma * Cardiac disease with increased risk of serious anaphylaxis * Pregnancy/Breastfeeding * Reaction within the last 4-6 weeks
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Oslo University Hospital, Dpt of Pulmonary Diseases, Ullevål
Oslo, Postbox 4950 Nydalen, 0424, Norway
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.