Study Finds Rising Antibiotic Shortages In US.

a new study, published online in Clinical Infectious Diseases, that found antibiotic shortages in the US “increased dramatically after 2007.” Currently, shortages “affect 26 drugs, nearly half of which are needed in treating multidrug-resistant infections,” including Clostridium difficile, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Among the recommendations posed by the authors is a requirement for manufacturers “to report shortages earlier and that multidisciplinary guidelines be developed to improve antimicrobial stewardship.” Additionally, the authors recommend “better communication, alternative treatment algorithms when the first choice for therapy is unavailable, and better tracking of local antibacterial supplies” to help minimize the “effect of shortages on clinical practice.”