Health officials are ‘in denial’ over a shortage of crucial whooping cough antibiotics, pharmacists warned today.
Nearly 5,000 cases of the illness, also known as pertussis or the ‘100-day cough’, have been recorded by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) in 2024 — more than five times the level seen across the entirety of 2023.
As this figure relies on laboratory confirmed cases, and the majority of patients go untested, the true figure could be far higher, experts have said.
While not generally severe in adults, the outbreak has claimed the lives of eight babies, making it the deadliest in a decade.
Although they may not reduce symptoms, antibiotics are vital as they stop patients from being infectious within 48 hours, helping to limit the spread of the bacterial infection.
But clarithromycin — one of the most widely used antibiotics for whooping cough — is one of hundreds of drugs currently in short supply across the UK.
Nearly 5,000 cases of pertussis, or the 100-day cough, have already been recorded in 2024 — more than five times the level seen across the entirety of 2023. Experts fear the true toll may be treble this. The outbreak has also claimed the lives of eight babies, making it the deadliest in a decade. But clarithromycin — used to treat various bacterial infections including whooping cough — is one of hundreds of drugs currently in short supply across the UK
Figures released last week by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed there were 4,793 confirmed whooping cough cases between January and April. By comparison, 858 were logged in the whole of 2023
Health officials warned that the infection is initially difficult to tell apart from a cold, as the first signs are a runny nose and sore throat. But around a week later, sufferers may develop coughing bouts that last minutes, struggle to breathe after coughing and make a ‘whoop’ sound between coughs. Other signs of whooping cough include bringing up a thick mucus that can cause vomiting and becoming red in the face
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) bosses have confirmed there is ‘significant ongoing disruption’ with two liquid versions of the drug, issuing a serious shortage protocol (SSP).
Yet these are due to expire on June 21, despite ‘ongoing’ supply issues.
MailOnline understands stock will return but not until July.
Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, told MailOnline: ‘We are worried that there may be delays in reissuing the SSP on the 21st.
She added: ‘The shortages are ongoing. When I first raised concerns about clarithromycin shortages the DHSC denied there were issues.
‘But two days later they issued the SSP about it.
‘We have serious issues with medicines shortages in this country and it seems the officials are in denial.
‘Patients are stressed and pharmacists are spending on average two hours a day trying to source medicines.
‘Despite asking for three years for transparency and a national strategy to tackle this issue, it is not forthcoming.
‘What will it take for the officials to finally act to sort out the problem?’
Thorrun Govind, former chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: ‘Shortages don’t appear to be getting the attention they need and we need a specific answer from each party leader as to how they plan to address this crisis.’
For suspected cases of whooping cough, GPs can prescribe one of four antibiotics: clarithromycin, erythromycin, azithromycin and co-trimoxazole.
Children generally need liquid versions of the medication, with the dose based on their weight, rather than standard pills.
Yet both 125mg/5ml and 250mg/5ml liquid versions of clarithromycin have been issued with SSPs.
Under the SSP, the DHSC has advised pharmacists to instead source the tablets, which pharmacists have previously warned are ‘overpriced’.
Paul Rees, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association said: ‘The national warnings are only issued when shortages are at their most acute, with this revealing just the tip of the iceberg, in terms of the challenges facing pharmacies and their patients.
‘Pharmacists are spending hours a day hunting down stock and are often forced to turn patients away due to being unable to order in vital medication.’
Figures released last week by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed there were 4,793 confirmed whooping cough cases between January and April.
Health chiefs have blamed the current outbreak on a steady decline in the uptake of vaccines among expectant mums. Experts say this is due to a mixture of vaccine hesitancy in the wake of Covid as well as a lack of awareness
By comparison, 858 were logged in the whole of 2023.
The number of suspected cases detected across England and Wales in 2024, however, stands close to 16,000.
Health chiefs have blamed the current outbreak on a steady decline in the uptake of vaccines among expectant mums.
Experts say this is due to a mixture of vaccine hesitancy in the wake of Covid as well as a lack of awareness.
The cancellation of many ‘non essential’ services during the pandemic and the consequence of lockdowns on immunity are also thought to have played a role.
Dozens of newborns died from the illness every year before pregnant women were routinely offered jabs in 2012.
The jab in pregnancy, offered between 16 and 32 weeks, protects babies in the first few months of their life, when they are most vulnerable and before they can receive their own vaccines.
But just a quarter of expectant mothers have had the pertussis jab in some boroughs of London. Rates are below half in other parts of the capital and Birmingham.
Uptake of the six-in-one jab — offered to babies in the first four months of life — are also at an all-time low.
Babies are given three doses of the six-in-one jab at eight, 12 and 16 weeks of age to protect against whooping cough and other serious diseases such as diphtheria and polio. A pre-school booster is offered after they turn three.
Whooping cough, spread through coughs and sneezes, can initially be difficult to tell apart from a cold, with the first signs typically being a runny nose and sore throat.
But around a week later, sufferers may develop coughing bouts which last minutes, struggle to breathe after coughing and make a ‘whoop’ sound between coughs.
The government has been urged to publicise the deadly danger of whooping cough to boost vaccine uptake, as it did in the 1980s and ’90s
Pregnant women are being urged to get the vaccine to protect their baby from catching the infection in the first few weeks of their life. Protection should last until they are old enough to get vaccinated themselves
Other signs of pertussis include bringing up a thick mucus that can cause vomiting and becoming red in the face.
Sufferers are infectious from around six days after cold-like symptoms begin to three weeks after their cough starts.
Doctors prescribe antibiotics if the whooping cough is detected within three weeks.
However, if a person has been infected for longer than this before seeking help, the drugs are no longer offered as they will do little to help.
The clarithromycin shortage suggests the wider medicines shortage crisis is deepening, with the number of common drugs in short supply doubling in the past two years.
Supply problems have hit crucial antibiotics and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) drugs, as well as type 2 diabetes, epilepsy and cancer medicines.
EU health chiefs have long attributed supply chain shortages to the war in the Ukraine and knock-on effects of the Covid pandemic.
Earlier this year, a damning report by the Nuffield Trust found Britons are facing alarming drug shortages and being made to wait longer for new medicines than our European neighbours.
Its analysis of freedom of information requests and public data revealed the number of notifications from drug companies warning of impending shortages had more than doubled from 648 in 2020 to 1,634 in 2023.
Source: Mail Online
