Doctors have been urged to take steps to ensure patients with recorded penicillin allergies undergo a thorough antibiotic allergy assessment.

An estimated 9% of Australian patients have a penicillin allergy listed on their medical record.

Yet, the latest research shows most of these patients would be able to tolerate penicillin, with a more accurate reading showing less than 1% truly allergic, write infectious diseases specialist Dr Jason Trubiano and pharmacist Misha Devchand, of Austin Health in Melbourne.

Further, if someone is incorrectly thought to be allergic to penicillin, they are likely to be treated with a broad spectrum antibiotic that may be less appropriate, they say in Australian Prescriber.