The capsule manufacturing laboratory of this pharmacy is used to masterful preparations, made on request.

But since the end of December, the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) has called for help from pharmacies for the manufacture of amoxicillin.

In a few days, the shop went from a production close to zero, to nearly 6,000 capsules per day of this drug.

Because this antibiotic, used in particular in children, is affected by shortages, caused, among other things, by increased demand not anticipated by manufacturers.

According to data from the Gers (group for the development and production of pharmaceutical industry statistics), 63 million boxes of amoxicillin were sold from January to November 2022, compared to 45 million in 2020.

To meet their deadlines, the five preparers of the Maubeuge pharmacy (9th arrondissement, center of Paris) work overtime and cut back on their hour of rest at midday, told AFP Marie Coupleux, doctor of pharmacy.

"We don't have the production capacities of the pharmaceutical industry. We do our best".

"We prioritize emergencies, but emergencies are everywhere, all the time," said Karen Assuied, 39, a trainer for three years, who feels "enormous" pressure.

"We put ourselves in the place of the patient" in need, she adds.

And when it comes to pediatric preparations, "we know there is a child waiting, so we feel useful, it's important".

- Handmade -

The production is artisanal, far from the millions of capsules produced every day by the pharmaceutical industry.

In their laboratory of about thirty square meters, the assistants circulate in the middle of semi-automatic machines, bags of transparent capsules and shelves where dozens of bottles are lined up.

Preparation of capsules in a Parisian pharmacy, January 9, 2023 © ALAIN JOCARD / AFP

The employees try to meet deadlines of 24 or 48 hours, between placing the order and delivering the medicine to the patient.

The red (urgent) and gray (the day's orders) trays are passed from hand to hand, without an automated production line.

Entering information, weighing the active ingredient, potting, filling the powder into the capsules: here, everything is done by hand.

With playing cards, the preparers smooth the powder poured into the capsules.

A way of working that affects the price: with only a few thousand capsules produced per day, the price of pillboxes is between 18 and 25 euros, says Ms. Coupleux.

A box of amoxicillin from the pharmaceutical industry is charged between 4 and 6 euros.

"We were called, we answered present", comments Didier Boeuf, the manager of the Maubeuge pharmacy.

"But it's not our job," he adds.

"There is a massive demand for the general population, and we are not equipped with either machines or human resources".

The Maubeuge pharmacy should be able to keep up this pace for several months, according to Marie Coupleux, until the pharmaceutical industry can meet all of the demand.

"We face, we will face, and we will continue as long as it takes," she said.

"When you have a mother who arrives with a child who has had a fever of 40 for 48 hours and the pharmacist answers her: + I'm sorry madam, I have no antibiotics to give you +, in France, in 2023, that poses a problem”, loose Marie Coupleux.

© 2023 AFP