Countries across the world are experiencing shortages of antibiotics as demand for the medicines rises and manufacturers found themselves unable to meet the demand due to supply-chain disruptions.
According to data from various countries, widely used antibiotics like amoxicillin, and cephalosporins are in short supply which is a concern among doctors and officials about the availability of drugs. The drugs that are currently in dearth are used to treat various conditions ranging from ear infections to pneumonia.
What are some of the reasons behind shortages of antibiotics?
According to health groups and manufacturers, there are a number of factors affecting the supply of antibiotics.
1. Following the lifting of pandemic-era restrictions, which resulted in increased illness, demand for antibiotics spiked.
2. Manufacturers are also experiencing supply delays for ingredients, packaging, and other components, owing in part to China’s Covid-19 restrictions.
3. Rising energy costs are also making it difficult to sustain some energy-intensive production.
4, Over-prescribing of antibiotics for any common disease
According to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), drug shortages can also occur because of quality problems, delays, and discontinuations.
After-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
More doctors and patients have sought the drug in response to the spread of respiratory infections following two years of COVID-imposed quarantine and isolation, during which many people were far less exposed to the pathogens that cause these illnesses.
According to Dr. Jodie L. Pepin, the clinical pharmacy program director at Harbor Health and a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy at the University of Texas at Austin, “Amoxicillin does not treat the viruses that we are dealing with in the pediatric population, currently including RSV, Influenza, and COVID-19, but does treat secondary bacterial infections that can result from the after-effects of a viral infection”.
Usually, pharmaceutical companies are able to predict seasonal surges in drug demand beforehand, but the intensity of the current outbreak was not anticipated at all. Manufacturers themselves have offered no explanation for the current shortfall in antibiotics.
What will be the outcome of antibiotic shortages?
According to Dr. Michael Ganio, PharmD, ASHP’s senior director of pharmacy practice and quality, the shortage is “fairly significant”. He said, “Patients and physicians may have to go to multiple pharmacies to find the drug, so that could be disruptive”.
Let’s take the example of the amoxicillin drug, which is currently running short in Europe and even Australia. Amoxicillin is a very palatable medication, especially for children, easy to use and store, and inexpensive. Other forms of medications, capsules, tablets, and chewables are also available and are able to cover many of the most common bacteria that cause common infections. But there is a possibility that an alternative to amoxicillin might be more expensive and less easy to take, which can affect patient compliance.
Countries that are currently facing antibiotics-shortage
The European Medicines Agency stated in an email that it is investigating the amoxicillin shortage and that a focus group is working to understand the causes and consider mitigation measures. The issues in Europe echo through the US and Australia where an increase in infections is also driving shortages.
France is also facing a shortage of amoxicillin, in particular drinkable forms for children, since October, according to a warning French health officials published last month asking doctors to avoid prescribing it.
Data from Italy and Germany also show shortages of amoxicillin and other antibiotics.
In Belgium as well, data from the federal agency for medicines and health products shows temporary shortages of amoxicillin into the first months of 2023 because of production delays. Zinnat, an antibiotic of the cephalosporin kind produced by Sandoz, is listed as in shortage until March 2023.
Rising demand for antibiotics, particularly those used to treat infections caused by Group A Streptococcus, or Strep-A, is also causing supply disruptions in the United Kingdom, as per pharmacy associations.
The drug regulator in Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), also reported shortages of commonly prescribed antibiotics like amoxicillin, cefalexin, and metronidazole.
