Is the Amoxicillin Shortage in Europe Getting Any Better?

Since the current steps to address the Drug shortage in the EU region were successful in addressing the problem, Europe's pharmaceuticals agency decided against designating the continent's antibiotic scarcity as a "Crucial event." The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is anticipated to coordinate action at a pan-European level and raise the reporting requirements of producers, including those of Amoxicillin, with the addition of a "Significant event" label.

The EMA's decision, announced in the first few weeks of February, is focused on shortages of well-known antibiotics, including Amoxicillin, which first surfaced in November. Amoxicillin treats bacterial infections and is frequently prescribed for children's ear and chest infections. After two years of COVID-19 restrictions, respiratory infections have returned, which has put a strain on the global supply and made importing medicines nearly impossible. The EMA said that it has heard from significant Amoxicillin producers favorably that supply is anticipated to rise in the coming weeks and that it anticipates that as spring approaches, demand for antibiotics will decline.

While several nations have observed antibiotic shortages as respiratory diseases resurface with fury following the removal of pandemic restrictions, the issue is particularly severe in Europe. Since generic drug prices are regulated, many European drugmakers claim they are hesitant to increase Amoxicillin production capacity when the conflict in Ukraine has driven up the price of everything from energy for factories to cardboard, indicating that more shortages may be on the horizon. More than 10 European manufacturers, six generic drug trade groups, and industry associations told the industry analysts that many companies are finding it difficult to generate enough revenue to justify producing antibiotics at all, let alone increasing production.

In order to increase production capacity (e.g., through quick changes to alternative sources of raw materials, manufacturing sites, and packaging materials), EU regulators have met with the major regional players involved in the supply chain of Amoxicillin. They have also looked into the possibility of increasing supply to meet the Member States' immediate needs. Major manufacturers have expressed their satisfaction with EMA, and in the upcoming weeks and months, it is anticipated that supply will rise (for instance, through more supply and greater production capacity). The peak in infections is projected to start to decline soon, according to EU Member States, which will reduce the current rise in antibiotic demand. The majority of the time, Patients and healthcare workers are reminded that there are typically alternatives available.