The shortage of amoxicillin, especially in liquid and chewable forms, has proven frustrating for pharmacists, doctors, and parents whose children have grown accustomed to bubblegum and strawberry-flavored medicines. Experts say there is no reason to panic. According to the FDA, the supply of effective alternatives such as cephalexin and clindamycin remains plentiful.
But the process of figuring out suitable alternatives can delay care and be frustrating. No, but age- and indication-appropriate alternatives are available,” said Michael Ganio, Ph.D., senior director of pharmacy operations and quality at the American Association of Health System Pharmacists.
Hundreds of drugs, including chemotherapy and anesthetics, have been in short supply for years, but the current shortage of amoxicillin and antiviral drugs is an anomaly, Dr. Gagnio said. attributed to an early surge in respiratory illnesses this year.
“These are not typical drug shortages related to manufacturing or supply chain disruptions,” he said. . This hit earlier than expected. ”
FDA Tracking Drug Shortages its website, said there was no nationwide shortage of Tamiflu, but that some parts of the country were experiencing temporary shortages. There are many alternatives to Tamiflu that can prevent influenza and reduce the severity and duration of illness, but many doctors are unfamiliar with those options, experts say.
The shortage highlights the fragility of the country’s drug supply chain, especially when cheap generic drugs like amoxicillin are manufactured by a handful of companies. Experts say the low price of such drugs discourages investment in sophisticated quality control systems. This will enable manufacturers to increase agility in times of shortage and scale production more quickly.
One of the manufacturers, Sandoz, said it has increased production to meet increased demand and hopes to double production in the coming months. “With flu season in full swing, we face the challenge of meeting this rapid surge in demand,” the company said in a statement.
