Washington

1. Go to http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/requests-invites/request-ceremonial-proclamation-greeting-or-letter/request-ceremonial

2. For *Title of Proclamation type “National Penicillin Allergy Day”.

3. For *Date of Proclamation type “September 28, 2018”.

4. For *Name of Sponsoring Organization type the name of your organization. You can optionally enter your org's website URL below this.

5. For *Date You Would Like to Receive Proclamation type “September 18, 2018” unless preferred another date.

6. Copy the Request Message text (below) and paste into the box beneath *Description of Proclamation.

7. Copy the Draft Proclamation text (below) into the box beneath *Draft Language.

8. Download the Proclamation Attachment by clicking the Download Proclamation Attachment button (below), save the document to your computer, then use the Choose File button on the online form to attach it.

9. For *Delivery Instructions select “Mail to Requestor”.

10. Click Submit.

11. Click here to send us an email and let us know you've submitted a proclamation request for WA!

Request Message

Copy text below IN FULL and paste into box under *Description of Proclamation

Dear Governor Jay Inslee,

On behalf of the nearly 730,000 Washington residents labeled penicillin-allergic, I am writing to request that a proclamation be issued this year for NATIONAL PENICILLIN ALLERGY DAY, September 28, 2018.

Allergy to penicillin and related antibiotics is the most commonly reported drug allergy in the United States.1 Studies have found that an estimated 10% of patients self-report as being penicillin allergic; and that 9 out of 10 of these patients reporting penicillin allergy are not truly allergic.1

This means that up to 656,000 Washingtonians may be erroneously labeled as penicillin-allergic.

Why is this important?

  • Carrying an inaccurate diagnosis of penicillin "allergy" could adversely affect the quantity and quality of healthcare used.3
  • Patients labeled penicillin-allergic have a threefold increased risk of adverse events (ADE).4
  • By some estimates, up to half of all hospitalized patients in the US receive antibiotics and up to half of antimicrobial use may be inappropriate.5 There is a causal relationship between inappropriate antimicrobial use and resistance; changes in antimicrobial use lead to parallel changes in the prevalence of resistance.6

With your support in declaring NATIONAL PENICILLIN ALLERGY DAY, we can continue to increase public awareness about false penicillin allergy. It is our objective to help educate both healthcare practitioners and the citizens of our state on the serious public health and economic implications of false penicillin allergies.

Please find included a draft of a proposed Proclamation for NATIONAL PENICILLIN ALLERGY DAY for September 28, 2018 to help build recognition and awareness for penicillin allergy and penicillin allergy testing.

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References:

  1. Salkind, A. R., Cuddy, P. G., & Foxworth, J. W. (2001). Is This Patient Allergic to Penicillin? Jama,285(19), 2498. doi:10.1001/jama.285.19.2498
  2. Macy, E. M., & Contreras, R. (2014). Healthcare Utilization and Serious Infection Prevalence Associated With Penicillin “Allergy” In Hospitalized Patients: A Cohort Study. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 133(2). doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2013.12.559
  3. Blumenthal, K. G., & Shenoy, E. S. (2016). Editorial Commentary: Fortune Favors the Bold: Give a Beta-Lactam! Clinical Infectious Diseases, 63(7), 911-913. doi:10.1093/cid/ciw467
  4. Owens, R. C., Fraser, G. L., & Stogsdill, P. (2004). Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs as a Means to Optimize Antimicrobial Use. Pharmacotherapy, 24(7), 896-908. doi:10.1592/phco.24.9.896.36101
  5. Dellit, T. H. (2007). Summary of the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Guidelines for Developing an Institutional Program to Enhance Antimicrobial Stewardship. Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice, 15(4), 263-264. doi:10.1097/ipc.0b013e318068b1c0

Draft Proclamation

Copy text below IN FULL and paste into box under *Draft Language

(TEMPLATE ONLY: PLEASE MODIFY TO YOUR NEEDS)

 

THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

PROCLAMATION

NATIONAL PENICILLIN ALLERGY DAY | SEPTEMBER 28, 2018

 

WHEREAS, penicillin is the most commonly reported drug allergy with 10% of all US patients—30 million Americans, or nearly 730,000 Washingtonians—reporting having an allergic reaction to a penicillin-class antibiotic in their past1; and

WHEREAS, penicillin allergy history is often inaccurate, with research showing that 9 out of 10 patients reporting as penicillin allergic—about 27 million Americans, or up to 656,000 Washingtonians—are not truly allergic to penicillin1; and

WHEREAS, inaccurate diagnosis of penicillin allergy can adversely impact medical costs for both patients and healthcare systems: research shows that antibiotic costs for patients reporting penicillin allergies are up to 63% higher than for those who do not report being penicillin-allergic2; and

WHEREAS, in the hospital setting, history of penicillin allergy translates to about 10% more hospital days, 30% higher incidence of VRE infections, 23% higher incidence of C difficile infections, and 14% higher incidence of MRSA infections2; and

WHEREAS, these adverse events occur because penicillin “allergic” patients are given more broad spectrum antibiotics2, which contributes to the public health problem of antibiotic resistance3; and

WHEREAS, National Penicillin Allergy Day is being organized to raise awareness of false penicillin allergy and encourage the de-labeling of patients erroneously labeled penicillin-allergic by promoting penicillin allergy skin testing;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jay Inslee, Governor of the State of Washington, do hereby proclaim September 28, 2018 as

National Penicillin Allergy Day

In Washington, and I urge all people in our state to join me in this special observance.

 
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References:

  1. Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters representing the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology; American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology; Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Drug allergy: an updated practice parameter. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2010 Oct;105(4):259-273
  2. Macy, E. M., & Contreras, R. (2014). Healthcare Utilization and Serious Infection Prevalence Associated With Penicillin “Allergy” In Hospitalized Patients: A Cohort Study. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology,133(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2013.09.021
  3. Dellit, TH, Owens, RC, McGowan JE, Jr et al. Infectious Disease Society of America and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America Guidelines for Developing Institutional Programs to Enhance Antimicrobial Stewardship. Clin Infect Dis. 2007;44-150-77.

Proclamation Attachment