Pharmacies across the U.S. are contending with an industrywide shortage of the amoxicillin drug, commonly prescribed to treat a variety of childhood infections, including ailments like ear infections, strep throat and pneumonia.
The supply constraint is hitting drugstores as children head back to school and infections spread. A spokesperson for pharmacy chain CVS Health said its stores are grappling with a nationwide shortage of some forms of the drug.
“There’s an industrywide supplier shortage of certain doses of amoxicillin, and we’re working with manufacturers to replenish supply as quickly as possible,” a CVS spokesperson said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch.
When the drug is out of stock at a particular location, CVS pharmacy teams are helping patients find amoxicillin at nearby locations, and also working with prescribers to determine suitable alternative drugs for patients, the spokesperson noted.
The shortage comes as many children around U.S. return to school, raising the risk of infection. Two school districts in Kentucky were closed this week due to a surge in sicknesses in their communities.
Read more at CBSnews.com
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