Amoxicillin: Will a human drug shortage affect veterinarians?

A shortage of some amoxicillin products used in human medicine could affect veterinarians who use the drugs in an extra-label manner. But no shortage of FDA-approved animal products has been reported, according to FDA officials.

The FDA reported on October 28 that some human drugs containing amoxicillin oral powder for suspension were unavailable or limited in supply.  

While there is no known shortage of veterinary amoxicillin products, veterinarians may be affected by the human-medicine shortage if they use the human drugs in an extra-label manner. In these cases, veterinarians might consider switching to an FDA-approved veterinary amoxicillin drug while the human products remain in short supply.

The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine has approved about 19 amoxicillin products for veterinary uses, including intra-mammary, injectable, oral tablets, boluses, pumps, drenches, and powders for oral suspensions. Amoxicillin oral powders approved for veterinary uses include:

• Amoxicillin trihydrate 
  • Amoxi-Drop® oral suspension
  • Robamox®-V Biomox®
  • Robamox®-V
• Amoxicillin trihydrate and clavulanate potassium
  • Clavamox® drops
  • Clavacillin®
  • Clamoxy-Vet™ drops

AVMA is in contact with FDA officials and monitoring this situation closely.

Veterinarians can and should report any drug shortages to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine at AnimalDrugShortagesfda [dot] hhs [dot] gov (AnimalDrugShortages[at]fda[dot]hhs[dot]gov).