Penicillin Allergy Prevalence — MFDS Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: E — 10%
The correct answer is E: approximately 10% of the general population reports or carries a label of penicillin allergy. NICE notes that fewer than 10% of people who believe they are penicillin-allergic are truly allergic, meaning that confirmed allergy affects fewer than approximately 1% of the overall population. This distinction is clinically important because inaccurate allergy labels can lead to use of broader-spectrum or less suitable antibiotics. The 25%, 50% and 75% options substantially overestimate the prevalence of reported allergy. The 0.01% option is far too low for either the reported allergy label or the overall prevalence of confirmed allergy.
Reference: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Drug allergy: diagnosis and management (CG183), Context. 2014. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG183/chapter/context