Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.
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It usually doesn't take long for new parents to fill a prescription for amoxicillin — an antibiotic frequently wielded in fighting ear infections and other common childhood illnesses.
This year, however, a shortage of the child-friendly liquid form of the drug has providers and parents worried heading into the winter cold and flu season. Amoxicillin can treat the secondary bacterial infections these sicknesses can lead to.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently warned that the supply issues could last "several months." It provided guidance about alternatives, such as crushing tablets or emptying capsules (which are not in short supply) and then mixing the contents with liquids easily swallowed by young kids.
Fortunately, as the doctors' group notes, the shortage is expected to be temporary. But the supply-chain woes put a fresh spotlight on the fragility of the supply and the need for new antibiotics. It's a multifaceted problem, one requiring innovation and funding, to address short-term problems and the even more daunting challenge of meeting the long-term need for new versions as bacteria become more resistant to current medications.
Congress now has an opportunity to ensure that humans stay ahead in this critical medical arms race. Legislation dubbed the "Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscriptions to End Upsurging Resistance" (PASTEUR) Act would provide a timely $6 billion boost to entice drug companies to continue developing new antibiotics.
Passing it would play a pivotal role in keeping this arsenal stocked with new treatments for future generations. Public investment is necessary because the market incentives that work for other drugs — spend big money to develop a new drug, make back even more through sales — don't work well here.
