Local pharmacists see uptick in drug substitutions due to children's medication shortage

Health Park Pharmacy owner and manager Steve Adkins has been working with doctors forced to consider alternatives.

“I’ve been practicing for over 20 years, and I think this is the most drug shortages I’ve ever seen,” Adkins said.

Dr. Michael Steiner, pediatrician in chief at UNC Children's Hospital, said the hospital has seen shortages as well.

“Where we would normally prescribe liquid formulations of Amoxicillin, we’re trying to use alternatives like crushing tablets and giving it to kids with a little bit of some kind of liquid.”

Steiner emphasizes many medications have substitutions, and this is a short term problem. “I definitely do not think this is a cause for widespread panic,” he said.

“As a mom myself, I know scary it can be,” Duke Health pediatrician Gabriela Maradiaga Panayotti said.

Panayotti said it is important to look at the whole picture with your doctor.

"Have a conversation with your provider and say, 'What’s plan B? If I can’t find this one, can I just call your office and they’ll send in the second one?'" she said.

"Compared to the week prior, hospitalizations for flu continue to be the highest we have seen at this time of year in a decade, demonstrating the significantly earlier flu season we are experiencing," CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said.

With the holiday season in full swing, CDC officials stressed the importance of getting vaccinated for the flu and COVID-19.