Australia’s peak body for approving medicines is concerned about a shortage of antibiotics. Those used to treat common ailments like chest or urinary infections are particularly in short supply.
Antibiotics are among the frequently prescribed medications that are currently in limited supply in Australia, according to the top body for general practitioners, and shortages are a growing problem. The three most often prescribed antibiotics, amoxicillin, cefalexin, and metronidazole, are in short supply, according to the medicines regulator Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which released a statement on Monday.
They are used to treat a variety of bacterial illnesses, such as skin infections, urinary tract infections, pneumonia and other chest infections. To help patients get through the shortfall, the TGA has given pharmacists permission to provide substitute antibiotics without a prescription-writing physician’s consent.
Importantly, there are substitutes for many of these medications, according to the TGA. Your doctor may recommend a different strength or medication with a similar range of activity, or your pharmacist may be able to provide you with a different brand.
According to a TGA representative, production problems or an unexpected rise in demand are to blame for the majority of antibiotic shortages. Within the next three months, he predicted, supply should restore to normal levels, with some medications arriving much sooner.
According to Dr. Nicole Higgins, president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Australia is experiencing a growing difficulty with the availability of several medications. Dr. Higgins added that the Covid-19 pandemic, which has damaged worldwide supply chains, has actually made matters worse. The scarcity of antibiotics appears to be a problem with both global supply and manufacture, although it is unknown why demand has grown.
