Published: Feb 09, 2018 Last Updated: Oct 28, 2019

Can You Take Isotretinoin If You Have A Pencillin Allergy?

In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not you can take isotretinoin if you have a penicillin allergy.

Answered By: Dr. Brian Staiger Pharm.D

Can You Take Isotretinoin If You Have A Pencillin Allergy?

Feb 08, 2018

Stelle asked

Can I take isotretinoin if I am allergic to penicillin?

Answer

Accutane (isotretinoin) can safely be taken in those with a penicillin allergy. There is not thought to be any sort of cross-reactivity between the two medications.

Isotretinoin and penicillin have markedly different chemical structures and there have been no reported cases of cross-allergic reactions between them. Isotretinoin is a derivative of Vitamin A while penicillin is considered a "beta-lactam" antibiotic. Below are the structures for each molecule.

Penicillin

Penicillin Structure

Accutane (Isotretinoin)

Isotretinoin

Dr. Brian Staiger Pharm.D

Dr. Brian Staiger is a licensed pharmacist in New York State and the founder of the Q+A website PharmacistAnswers.com. He graduated from the University At Buffalo with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2010.

He has been featured in numerous publications including the Huffington Post as well as a variety of health and pharmacy-related blogs.

Please feel free to reach out to him directly if you have any inquiries or want to connect! He's answered thousands of medication and pharmacy-related questions and he's ready to answer yours!