Amoxicillin, a medication frequently recommended to treat a number of childhood infections, including illnesses like ear infections, strep throat, and pneumonia, is currently experiencing an industry-wide shortage that is affecting pharmacies across the United States.
As kids return to school and diseases spread, drugstores are experiencing a supply shortage. According to a CVS Health spokeswoman, certain of the drug’s formulations are in limited supply countrywide, which is affecting the chain’s pharmacies.
In a statement to CBS MoneyWatch, a CVS representative said: “There is an industry-wide supplier shortage of certain doses of amoxicillin. We are working with manufacturers to replenish supply as quickly as possible.”
The CVS pharmacy team assists patients in finding amoxicillin when it is not available at a certain location and works with prescribers to identify appropriate substitute medications for patients when the antibiotic is not available there. When contacted for comment about the medicine shortage, Walgreens did not respond right away.
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Health Crisis and Resource Shortages
As more kids return to school across the United States, the scarcity coincides with an increase in infection risk.
This week, two Kentucky school districts were closed as a result of an increase in illnesses among the local population. Due to widespread sickness, all schools in Magoffin County will be closed on Thursday, August 24 and Friday, August 25, the school system said on Wednesday.
This week, Lee County schools also closed because of widespread COVID-19, strep throat, flu, and other illnesses among children and employees, according to NBC News. When adding amoxicillin products to its list of medications that are in low supply, the Food and Drug Administration became the first organization to identify the shortage last autumn.
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) said that the shortfall was being caused by a rise in medicine demand.
A congressional investigation on the dangers of medicine shortages in the U.S. also identified high consumer demand, over prescription by physicians, production setbacks, and other supply-chain interruptions as contributing factors.
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Source: CBS News
