Price of liquid penicillin to fight strep A hiked by four times as supplies run out
Pharmacies are scrambling for pills they can crush up – as wholesalers face accusations of prof iteering
TOWNS and cities across Britain are running out of antibiotics used to treat children with strep A amid accusations that drugs wholesalers are profiteering from the outbreak after increasing prices more than fourfold.
A Mail on Sunday survey of chemists from Truro to Glasgow yesterday found most had no or very low supplies of liquid penicillin. Pharmacies are now asking GPs for fresh prescriptions for tablets they can crush up.
It contrasts with the message in recent days from Government officials, who have repeatedly stated there is no supplier shortage.
The strep A bacteria, which can cause scarlet fever and in rare cases become ‘invasive’, triggering deadly sepsis, has claimed the lives of 16 children in the past month.
The latest, a pupil of 12 at a school in Hove, East Sussex, died on Friday.
In Scotland no children have yet died although 13 children under 10 have contracted iGAS – the invasive and more serious strain of strep A – since October. A further 1,200 have been diagnosed with a milder version of the virus.
The most common drugs to treat strep A are phenoxymethylpenicillin and amoxicillin.
‘There is a shortage – despite what the Government says’
Children are usually given them as a syrup. But of 36 chemists contacted across England, Wales and Scotland yesterday, 26 had no supplies of phenoxymethylpenicillin syrup, six had very low stocks while the other four had relatively normal supplies.
One in Cardiff said: ‘We ran out last week and have no idea when we’ll get more.’
A Sheffield chemist insisted: ‘There is a national shortage – despite what the Government says.’ Another in Maidstone, Kent, said: ‘We haven’t had any for weeks. Our warehouse can’t get it.’
The cost of amoxicillin syrup rose more than fourfold in a month, one East of England chemist said, providing screenshots showing a 100ml bottle at a strength for older children was £2.49 in mid-November but £11.22 now. The NHS pays pharmacies £2.69 to dispense it.
It was reported yesterday that a leaked email from a Scottish NHS official to GPs, locums and pharmacy managers in Scotland warned it is expecting ‘a medicines supply alert’.
Labour health spokesman Jackie
Baillie said Health Secretary Humza Yousaf ‘cannot keep dismissing these concerns’. However, Mr Humza denied there is a shortage of medicine.
Janet Morrison, of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, a go-between between chemists and Whitehall, said pharmacies were ‘helpless against market forces working against them’. Last Wednesday, the
Healthcare Distribution Association, which represents wholesalers, said a ‘spike in demand’ was affecting supply.
It did not respond to questions about allegations of profiteering yesterday.
The Department of Health said: ‘There is no supplier shortage of antibiotics to treat strep A. Increased demand means some pharmacies are having difficulties obtaining certain antibiotics.’