SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The FDA is warning of a shortage of a widely used antibiotic for children, which means it could be harder to fill a needed prescription.
The shortage is impacting the antibiotic Amoxicillin, an oral solution typically used in children.
"It could be supply chain. They're just not getting the raw materials necessary. There could be some issues at the plant," said Dr. Sonya Frausto, owner of 10 Acres Pharmacy.
It's all happening at a time of year when experts said this medicine is needed the most.
"I was like, 'This is no bueno.' Because what that means is that I now have to potentially stock up on other strains of Amoxicillin," Dr. Frausto said.
She checked her supplier Monday night, confirming that the shortage was real.
"I looked in it and sure enough, Amoxicillin 400 milligrams per five ml - suspension, the 600 milligrams per five ml - suspension, and all sizes was zero," Frausto said.
Despite the shortage, she said there are still options.
"Shortages are not uncommon in pharmacy and in medicine, so we shouldn't freak out," Frausto said.
She added that they have other types of antibiotics available, so there's no need to worry if people can't get Amoxicillin right away.
Frausto said there are also some preventative things that people can do right now, such as getting their flu shot and COVID booster. These will help protect people against the viruses that are going around.
She also said people should do their best to avoid getting sick by washing their hands, wearing a mask and social distancing when possible.
A spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente said its Amoxicillin supply in the Northern California region is currently sufficient, and they are closely monitoring the supply situation.
In a statement to ABC10, they said:
In our integrated system, Kaiser Permanente physicians and pharmacists work closely together to ensure that our members and patients receive appropriate and effective medication therapies. Kaiser Permanente has also been warehousing some additional drug supply to help ensure we have adequate supply for our members and patients.
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