It is one of the most widely prescribed antibiotics, especially for children, and is used to treat sore throats and ear infections. However, it is dangerously close to running out. In pharmacies, indeed, there is concern about the shortage of amoxicillin, especially in its liquid form. Worse still, the problem is not just French, it is global.
“The rupture is certain and it will happen in the next few days. The reservations, there are no more,” warns Andreas Werner, president of the French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics, interviewed by BFMTV. And the shortage is expected to last until March 2023 according to estimates.
Medicines Agency prescriptions
Health authorities are trying to cope. Or rather to limit the damage. Thus, as France Bleu points out here, the National Drug Safety Agency (ANSM) now regulates the number of boxes purchased by pharmacies. The institution also reminds its employees to verify with the patient that their disease is of infectious origin and not viral, in which case the molecule is ineffective. The ANSM also recommends limiting the duration of prescriptions.
Andreas Werner explains to BFMTV: “Now, instead of treating the children for ten days with an antibiotic, he only treats them for five days.” “Obviously, you run an infectious risk,” the doctor acknowledges before continuing: “But in the meantime with a single current treatment you can treat two children.”
The ANSM has issued an additional order: it asks French laboratories to stop exporting amoxicillin.
“80% of production in China and India”
It is about attending to the most urgent but the available volumes do not depend so much on local production. Because, in addition to the strong demand, it is the difficulties in the manufacture of the drug abroad that generate the shortage. Pauline Londeix, co-founder of the Drug Policy Transparency Observatory, develops with BFMTV:
“80% of pharmaceutical raw material is produced in China and India.”
And the energy crisis is once again making its effects felt. “What we are seeing is an increase in the price of energy that is causing the closure of production sites for the raw materials we depend on,” he continues.
a deep evil
The disease is so deep that it goes beyond the single case of amoxicillin. The economic interest group (GIE) Gers, quoted in official diary On November 10, following a written question from the Senate, the number of drug references without supply in mid-August was estimated at 12.5%. According to Radio Classique, on average more than 100 items are missing per month and per pharmacy.
The last observation is perhaps the most alarming: the phenomenon is a race. According to the activity report published on September 21 by the ANSM for the year 2021, 2,160 products were out of stock – or suggested a risk of rupture – last year compared to 871 in 2018 and 538 in 2017.
Source: BFM TV
