Alternative Antibiotic Selections During the 2022 Amoxicillin Shortage in the United States

The authors studied the effects of a shortage of amoxicillin powder for liquid suspension on antibiotic use at seven children’s hospitals. They found an increase in the use of nonsuspension amoxicillin and broad-spectrum antibiotics, which in some cases did not align with practice guidelines, leading to concerns about antibiotic resistance from inappropriate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics and resulting treatment failure during longer or more frequent shortages. The authors also found an overall decline in antibiotic use during the shortage, suggesting greater alignment with practice guidelines for use of non-antimicrobial treatment strategies.