Bare shelves are nothing new since the pandemic, but when it comes to essential supplies for kids, it’s a tough dose to swallow, or in this case – not.
“I’ve had several parents calling around, just scrambling looking around pharmacies just to find an antibiotic for their child,” said Kimberly Smith, a pharmacist with Port Jervis Pharmacy.
Smith says supply problems and high demand during the so-called “tripledemic” have led to the shortage of some children’s antibiotics and over-the-counter pain relievers that parents have had trouble getting for weeks.
“We have flu season that’s really big this year. We are still seeing some COVID cases and some colds - strep throat and things like that,” said Smith.
Smith says pharmacists don’t know when the shortage will end.
“I would advise them to call the pharmacy before they leave their doctor’s office to see if they have what their child is getting in stock.”
Smith says pharmacists and parents can check stores to see if a medication is in stock and have the prescription sent there.
She says small pharmacies can also make their own doses of children’s antibiotics, called compounding, from more widely available adult ingredients.
“Hopefully flu season, RSV will start to taper off, but it might be a long winter ahead,” said Smith.
The Federal Food and Drug Administration is monitoring the shortage, but critics say the situation highlights serious vulnerabilities in the nation’s drug supply.