Nina Droff, edited by Gauthier Delomez 06:14, January 09, 2023

To deal with the problems of amoxicillin supply, the government has authorized around forty pharmacies to produce this antibiotic directly in their pharmacies.

This is the case for a brand in the 6th arrondissement of Paris which has started to manufacture capsules.

Europe 1 went there.

While the pharmacy is closing, the laboratory attached to the dispensary comes to life.

For three weeks, the Delpech pharmacy in the 6th arrondissement of Paris has started to manufacture amoxicillin capsules, on site, to make up for the shortage of this antibiotic widely used in winter.

Forty pharmacies in France have received government authorization to produce this drug in pediatric doses.

"The shortage is not on the raw material", explains Fabien Bruno, the incumbent pharmacist.

"We order the amoxicillin powder directly from the suppliers, there our suppliers are Spanish, and we make the capsules here", he adds to the microphone of Europe 1.

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Capsules checked, sorted and sent to other pharmacies

Once weighed, the amoxicillin powder is divided into opaque capsules which are then checked, sorted and labeled before being sent to many French pharmacies.

"We are very careful with everything, there is a very strict protocol", specifies Rachida, one of the preparers, charlotte on her head and mask on her nose.

"These are medicines for children, we can't do anything."

Every day, 60,000 capsules are produced in this preparation, the equivalent of 4,000 complete treatments per child.

For Fabien Bruno, taking part in this effort was obvious.

"We have 70% of French pharmacies that are out of amoxicillin, while we are in the period when we need these antibiotics the most," he laments.

"We did not hesitate to go there, we have the possibility of offering these treatments to children so we do it, we work overtime if necessary."

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For now, only pediatric doses are prepared here, but if the need arises, they will also be able to manufacture "adult" doses.