GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Earlier this month, the FDA announced that there was a shortage of amoxicillin. FOX 17 spoke with Stephanie Field, director of pharmacy business services for Corewell Health West and South.
According to Field, the pharmacy tracks more than 100 shortages at any time before the FDA notifies them that there is an expected shortage. “Usually we’ve experienced some disruption that we’ve had to respond to before the FDA knows about even, just because we’re purchasing those, especially in an organization the size of Corewell.”
Whenever there is a shortage, Field says that they turn to alternative strengths or formulations. She says that because amoxicillin is a generic medication, there are a lot of alternatives they can turn to. “We have brought in, and this is what a community pharmacy would do as well, bring in a combo medication like Augmentin, where the base is amoxicillin, but it has some additional antibiotic properties as well,” she said.
Due to the shortage, Field says that they also use alternative wholesalers. Corewell also contacts the manufacturer directly to get additional stock.
Although there is a shortage, Field says that it is not detrimental to care at this point. “The advice I’ve given across the board is, the pharmacist is uniquely positioned to find you what you need, and be the conduit between you and your provider,” said Fields. “If there is an adjustment that needs to be made in strength or in getting a combo product, whatever is best for that kiddo, the pharmacist can really help navigate it, because medications and getting them covered can be very complicated, especially in a situation like this where there’s a shortage.”
Since there are a lot of manufacturers in the market, pharmacies can branch out and diversify how they get the product. When is a shortage like this, the FDA sometimes asks other manufacturers to pivot their lines for a less in-demand medication and focus on the medication experiencing the shortage.
“I think the most important thing for patients is to know, you know, in this specific case, as amoxicillin is so widely used for pediatric patients, and we are seeing an influx in RSV and secondary infection to RSV, is to really use your pharmacists,” said Field. “They are happy to help, they have the right information, and they’re available to you, you know, in your community. So they are the experts in helping you get what you need.”
