DECEMBER 2023

by Editorial Board last updated Jan 26, 2024 08:47 AM

SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19

Sanford Guide SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 main page.
COVID-19 vaccination in cancer patients: recommendations from NCCN here.
Currently authorized vaccines. See COVID-19 vaccines (Age ≥12 yrs) and COVID-19 vaccines (Age <12 yrs) for use and data.
ESCMID COVID-19 living guidelines: drug treatment and clinical management (Clin Microbiol Infect 2022;28:222). Available at PMC.
Guidelines on COVID-19 diagnosis, serology, treatment and management, and infection prevention:
- IDSA (last updated 6/26/23)
- NIH (last updated 11/2/23)
Living WHO guideline on drugs for COVID-19 (BMJ 2021;375:n2936).
Living WHO guideline on drugs to prevent COVID-19 (BMJ 2021;372:n526). Available here.
Living WHO guideline on prophylaxis against COVID-19 (BMJ 2021;373:n949). Available at PMC.
Management of hospitalized adults with COVID-19: a European Respiratory Society living guideline (Eur Respir J 2021;57(4):2100048). Available at PMC.

Expanded Clofazimine Access

Clofazimine (Lamprene) has been unavailable in US pharmacies since 2004. Currently, individuals with leprosy may obtain access to clofazimine from the National Hansen's Disease Program. Under certain circumstances, patients may be able to obtain access to clofazimine for the treatment of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections or other infections (uses for which clofazimine does not have FDA approval) from Novartis. Click here for more information.

CDC Immunization Schedules

The 2024 US CDC recommended immunization schedules and associated footnotes are updated annually by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Beginning with the 2024 schedule, the final version for the upcoming year will be published online in November of the previous year. This is about three months earlier than previously to allow for supply chain and payor coordination for any changes.

Updated Anthrax Guidelines

Updated CDC guidelines for the prevention and treatment of naturally occurring anthrax (MMWR Recomm Rep 2023;72(6):1-47). PDF available here.

Drug Shortages (US)

Bicillin-LA and Bicillin-CR availability: See Dear Healthcare Professional letter here.
Antimicrobial drugs or vaccines in reduced supply or unavailable (as of December 8, 2023) due to increased demand, manufacturing delays, product discontinuation by a specific manufacturer, or unspecified reasons:
- New shortages since November 12, 2023:
  - Moxifloxacin 400 mg tablets (12/6/2023)
- Shortage recently resolved:
  - Isoniazid injection, 100 mg/mL (9/23/2023)
  - Neomycin 500 mg tablets (9/7/2023)
  - Tedizolid injection (10/2/2023)
  - Tedizolid phosphate 200 mg tablets (10/2/2023)
- Antibacterial drugs:
  - Aminoglycosides:
    - Amikacin injection
    - Gentamicin injection (02/22/2021)
    - Tobramycin injection
  - Bacitracin ophthalmic ointment (unavailable)
  - Carbapenems:
    - Meropenem injection
  - Cephalosporins:
    - Cefazolin injection (6/4/2018)
    - Cefdinir, all oral formulations (6/29/2023)
    - Cefixime 400 mg capsules (1/21/2022)
    - Cefotaxime injection (FDA is allowing temporary importation of product from SteriMax in Canada, in conjunction with Provepharm Life Solutions and its distributor Direct Success. Click here for details).
  - Chloramphenicol injection (10/9/2023)
  - Clindamycin phosphate injection (6/25/2015)
  - Doxycycline oral suspension (11/16/2021)
  - Fluoroquinolones:
    - Ciprofloxacin injection (1/13/2023)
    - Ciprofloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solution
    - Levofloxacin oral solution, 25 mg/mL (9/15/2023)
    - Ofloxacin 0.3% ophthalmic solution
  - Glycopeptides, glycolipopeptides, lipopeptides:
    - Vancomycin injection (6/1/2015)
  - Macrolides/azalides:
    - Azithromycin ophthalmic solution 1% (unavailable)
    - Erythromycin 0.5% ophthalmic ointment (7/8/2022)
  - Metronidazole injection (10/20/2021)
  - Neomycin and Polymyxin B Sulfates GU Irrigant
  - Nitrofurantoin oral suspension
  - Penicillins:
    - Amoxicillin (all oral formulations)
    - Amoxicillin-clavulanate (all oral formulations)
    - Ampicillin injection (10/19/2023)
    - Dicloxacillin capsules (250 mg, 500 mg)
    - Penicillin G benzathine injection (Bicillin-LA) (2/1/2023)
    - Penicillin G benzathine/Penicillin G procaine (Bicillin-CR) (3/31/2023)
    - Penicillin VK tablets (250 mg, 500 mg), oral solution (250 mg/5 mL) (5/17/2023)
    - Piperacillin-tazobactam injection
  - Polymyxin B sulfate/Trimethoprim sulfate ophthalmic solution (03/31/2023)
  - Sulfacetamide 10%/Prednisolone sodium phos 0.23% oph soln (9/21/2023)
  - Sulfanilamide 15% vaginal cream (unavailable)
- Antifungal drugs:
  - Amphotericin B injection (10/10/2022)
  - Amphotericin B Lipid Complex (ABLC)
  - Nystatin topical powder
- Antimycobacterial drugs:
  - Isoniazid 100 mg, 300 mg tablets
  - Rifampin capsules
- Antiparasitic drugs:
  - Primaquine
- Antiviral drugs:
  - Nirsevimab-alip injection (10/24/2023)
  - Oseltamivir capsules, powder for oral suspension (11/01/2022)
  - Podofilox 0.5% topical gel
  - Ribavirin for inhalation solution
  - Valganciclovir tablets, powder for oral solution
- Vaccines:
  - None

Antimicrobial drugs recently discontinued:
- Sulfacetamide 10%/Prednisolone acetate 0.2% oph ointment (Aug 2023 by Allergan, sole supplier)
- Penicillin G procaine 600,000 units/mL IM injection (June 2023)
- Ritonavir oral solution 80 mg/mL (January 2023)
- Lindane 1% shampoo (discontinued by Wockhardt USA in June 2022, no other supplier)
- Quinupristin-Dalfopristin (discontinued by Pfizer in early 2022, no other supplier)
- Gemifloxacin 320 mg tablet (August 2022, no further US distribution)
- Gentamicin sulfate 0.3% ophthalmic ointment (July 2022)
- Mupirocin calcium 2% cream (Bactroban [GSK], June 2020)
- Bacitracin injection (February 2020)
- Interferon alfa-2b (Intron A, October 2019)
- Mupirocin calcium 2% nasal ointment (Bactroban Nasal [GSK], August 2019)

For more detailed information including estimated resupply dates, see https://www.ashp.org/Drug-Shortages/