Antibiotic Shortages Hurting Billings During Cold and Flu Season

Kyle Austin, President of Pharm406 here in Billings, reached out to let us know about a critical issue beginning to affect the Billings area.

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Antibiotics Running Dry

With Cold and Flu season in full swing, many may be headed to their doctor for that cold... but what they will find is the local pharmacies are having difficulty getting their hands on a supply of antibiotics.

Pharm406 says there are multiple antibiotic shortages affecting the US, including liquid antibiotics for children. Among those, is liquid amoxicillin, used in treating simple infections in pediatrics.

Another critical medication experiencing a shortage is Tamiflu, a generic drug used to treat the flu.

Why the shortages?

According to Kyle at Pharm406, they have not been able to pinpoint an exact cause for the shortages. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated they are working with manufacturers to resolve the issue as rapidly as possible.

As an assumption, Kyle says America is quite dependent on foreign resources being imported instead of manufacturing everything within the United States.

ASHP maintains a drug shortage list, which we would recommend checking your medications against, to ensure you are not going to experience any issues in the coming weeks and months.

What can be done?

Pharm406 is compounding liquid amoxicillin for children using adult capsules. This is a temporary solution to a potentially long-term problem. As for Tamiflu, there is no alternative. Pharm406 recommends you get your yearly flu shot to protect against the flu.

Learn more about the options you have by visiting Pharm406, or your local pharmacy, and speak with your pharmacist.