From Heidelberg to Hollywood

Professor Jason Trubiano (’99), who is an Infectious Diseases Physician and Director of Infectious Diseases at Austin Health, has seen his clinical invention picked up by Hollywood!

PEN-FAST, a validated clinical tool for assessing penicillin allergy risk, was developed primarily by Jason and his team at Austin Health and the University of Melbourne.

Penicillin allergies are the most reported drug reaction in the USA, with up to 10 per cent of people reporting one, however, most people who believe they are allergic are not. PEN-FAST is a simple tool which helps clinicians assess the likelihood of someone having a true penicillin allergy. If it shows negative or low, studies have shown that 95% of patients can tolerate penicillin and are not allergic. This reduces unnecessary allergy labels and improves antibiotic prescribing.

Jason’s invention has been featured in the HBO Max medical drama series The Pitt. What started in Heidelberg is now making prime-time and helping change practice around the globe.