The shortage of penicillin to treat streptococcal A infection is so acute that it has been found that pharmacists advise giving children solid tablets when they cannot give liquid form.
Official advice to pharmacists from the NHS Specialty Pharmacy Service says they should use “off-label” solid oral antibiotic formulations to treat infections when stocks of regular versions of the suspension run out.
Tablets are not usually given to children because they may have difficulty swallowing. The bulletin says parents can be instructed to crush pills even if they are “off label” or do not match the product’s license.
Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Steve Barclay stressed on Wednesday that there is no shortage of penicillin or other antibiotics in the country to treat a potentially dangerous infection, and that the government is in constant contact with the National Health Service to secure supplies.
However, there are reports from chemists that they can’t get their hands on penicillin, amoxicillin and other antibiotics used to treat streptococcal infections that have claimed the lives of nine children in the UK since September.
Concerns about shortages of antibiotics were heightened after it emerged that one family had to travel 30 kilometers to get a prescription for penicillin because local pharmacists ran out of supplies.
Dr. Leila Hannbeck, executive director of the Independent Pharmacy Association, which represents 4,000 pharmacists, told me that, according to one of its members, a patient had to travel 20 miles to get penicillin.
Another participant reported that the patient went to 12 different pharmacists for penicillin due to local shortages. Hannbeck. It is not known if the drug was intended to treat Strep A, but she said her members are facing shortages due to increased demand due to the rise in Streptococcus A infections.
“We had people who said they couldn’t get anything,” she said. I. “It’s happening everywhere. We want to supply medicines for our patients, but we can’t. The fact that the government says there is no shortage is not true.”
In an advisory environment, the Specialized Pharmacy Service stated: “Off-label whole doses can be used for oral solid dosage forms rather than oral suspensions. This also applies to use in group A streptococcal infections.”
While swallowing tablets is preferred, the advice is: “If children cannot swallow oral solid dosage forms, we have provided guidance on how to administer doses by crushing or crushing tablets or opening capsules.
“Use in this manner is outside the scope of the product license (“off-label”).”
Cases of scarlet fever, a highly contagious disease caused by bacteria, are four times higher than the average.
The UK Health Safety Agency is due to announce Thursday/today that the number of cases continues to rise while more deaths are expected.
Mr. Barclay acknowledged that while there was no general shortage of antibiotics, there could be short-term supply problems at the local level.
He told Sky News: “I contacted the team last night – we have a permanent team in the department that does this full-time – and they assured me that we have a good offer.
“Medicine suppliers must notify us when they have a shortage. Now GPs can sometimes have certain spikes when they have a lot of demand in an area and it’s pretty routine, we can move inventory around our warehouses.
Asked by Labor Party leader Sir Keir Starmer about the lack of medicine, the Prime Minister said: “The NHS … is working very hard to make sure parents are aware of the symptoms to look out for as it is sensibly done, can be treated with antibiotics.” .
“Currently, there is no shortage of drugs to treat this disease, and there are established procedures in place to ensure that it persists.”
Teni Health Minister Wes Streeting said: “It is important that parents of children who show symptoms of streptococcus A can see a doctor if necessary. The government must ensure that medical institutions are supplied with the necessary antibiotics, as well as a good supply of them in the country.
“Labour will double student places to train 15,000 physicians a year so patients can make appointments when they need them by eliminating Non-Dom tax status.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) is working closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to combat the outbreak, the WHO said on Wednesday.
Richard Peabody, head of the high-risk pathogens team at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, said: “WHO is in contact with the UK and other countries to assess the situation and make recommendations on next steps. WHO advises other countries in the European region to be on the lookout for a similar rise in cases, especially given the growing spread of respiratory viruses in Europe.”
The Ministry of Education’s advice says that if a student is diagnosed with a streptococcal infection or scarlet fever, his classmates must remain in the classroom and the school must remain open.
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.