Penicillin allergies are among the most commonly reported drug allergies, yet many diagnoses are inaccurate, leading to suboptimal patient outcomes. This educational session will equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools to accurately assess and manage penicillin allergies in clinical settings.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand the epidemiology and immunological mechanisms of penicillin allergies.
• To introduce and apply a penicillin allergy de-labeling tool in clinical practice.
• To review cross-reactivity of beta-lactam antibiotics.

About Melissa Kucey, BSP, ACPR
Antimicrobial Stewardship Pharmacist (Regina)- Department of Stewardship & Clinical

Melissa works in Regina, Saskatchewan as an antimicrobial stewardship and infectious diseases pharmacist for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) Antimicrobial Stewardship Program. She completed a B.Sc. in Physiology in 2010 and a B.Sc. in Pharmacy in 2014 at the University of Saskatchewan. After university, Melissa completed a hospital pharmacy residency at the Regina General hospital in 2015, and was employed as a clinical pharmacist for the SHA. She worked in critical care and internal medicine for a few years before transitioning into her specialized role of antimicrobial stewardship in April 2020. Infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship are areas Melissa is very passionate about and she enjoys working with her colleagues to educate the public and health care providers around the threat of antimicrobial resistance and ways to optimize antimicrobial use.