Doctors are sounding the alarm.

The lack of amoxicillin, one of the most widely used antibiotics in children, could lead to a major public health crisis in a few days, even worse than bronchiolitis, the main organizations of pediatricians and infectiologists.

“All the conditions are met for a major public health crisis in pediatrics (within) a few days”, warned in a joint press release these organizations, which include in particular the French Society of Pediatrics (SFP) and the Pathology Society. infectious French language.

deadly consequences

According to them, this crisis could be even worse than the bronchiolitis epidemic, which is proving to be particularly violent this year and is already straining the health system.

The risk could be higher “in terms of morbidity and mortality”.

In other words, the lack of antibiotics could have fatal consequences in some children.

Health authorities took note last week of "strong supply tensions" on amoxicillin, by far the most prescribed antibiotic for children.

It is intended to fight against a series of bacterial infections such as certain ear infections and pneumonia.

For the time being, it is in its syrup form, mainly used in children, that amoxicillin is lacking.

But doctors fear that the shortage will spill over to all of these antibiotics.

"The stocks of alternatives to pediatric forms of amoxicillin will not last beyond a few weeks," they note.



"Drastic restriction" of the prescription of amoxicillin

In turn, the “adult” forms of this antibiotic could therefore in turn start to run out.

In the longer term, doctors even fear a shortage of "remedy" drugs, offered as second choice when amoxicillin is lacking.

They consider the measures taken by the authorities, which have notably limited the quantity of amoxicillin that pharmacists can distribute to each patient, to be insufficient.

According to them, it is necessary to consider a “drastic restriction” of the prescription of this antibiotic, if necessary by directly imposing constraints on doctors.

They also call for the precise diagnosis to be given on the prescriptions.

Antibiotics, which have no interest against bronchiolitis, for example, tend to be prescribed far too widely, and the authorities have already asked doctors to show discernment.

But “it will probably be necessary to review a large number of recommendations and apply them in a more restrictive way”, for organizations of pediatricians and infectious disease specialists.

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