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68 they‘re treated for an infection with penicillin or closely related drugs. The rash is often blamed on penicillin, while the more likely culprit is the original infection, or a reaction be- tween the infection and the antibiotic. However, genuine penicillin allergies, where our im- mune systems mistake penicillin for an attacker, do occur rarely and can be very danger- ous. So if you think you‘re allergic but don‘t know for sure, your best bet is to visit an al- lergist. They‘ll complete an evaluation that‘ll confirm whether or not you have the allergy. Even if you do have a penicillin allergy, your immune cells that react to the drug may lose their ability to recognize it. In fact, about 80% of people who are allergic to penicil- lin outgrow their allergy within ten years. This is great news for people who currently identi- fy as allergic to penicillin; the drug may one day save their lives, as it has done for so many others. https://www.ted.com/talks/allison_ramsey_and_mary_staicu_the_accident_that_changed_the_world