Antibiotic to treat respiratory issues in short supply

ABC NEWS (Australia)

There is a critical shortage of a key antibiotic used to treat children with respiratory issues and demand is growing as winter illnesses ramp up. Families are going to multiple pharmacies to fill scripts, with alternatives also hard to find.

Transcript

00:00A coughing baby and a frustrated mum.

00:0516-month-old Miles Hooper has pneumonia for the second time in months.

00:10He needed antibiotics but they're out of stock, prompting his mum to recruit her mother-in-law

00:15to help with the ring around.

00:18I think between the two of us we probably called a dozen chemists.

00:21Pharmacists say they see mums like Kyanne Hooper every day.

00:25We're getting parents come in, they're quite desperate, they're stressed out, they've got

00:28a sick child at home and they're seeking antibiotics that they've been to five, seven, ten pharmacies

00:34and unfortunately we just don't have it.

00:37They're after the liquid form of azithromycin that treats whooping cough, chest infections

00:42and breathing issues.

00:43GPs say they'll work with pharmacists but it takes time.

00:47We know that we'll be able to find a solution to this problem working together because often

00:51the first, second and even third line choice for antimicrobial drugs are not available

00:56at the moment.

00:57But there's a shortfall of 424 medications in Australia and another 67 are likely to

01:03be affected.

01:06Azithromycin is one on the critically low supply list with 11 more to come.

01:11Federal Health Minister Mark Butler says new government policies should improve manufacturing

01:16so there'll be fewer shortages into the future.

01:20But that's unlikely to make a difference this winter.

01:22A lot of parents will find themselves in a position where they feel they have no option

01:26but to go to an emergency department, which is good for no one really.

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