In the midst of drug shortages, the Astellas laboratory, which markets this antibiotic prescribed against infectious diseases, said that the last stocks should be exhausted by March.
- Josacine is the trade name of an antibiotic composed of the molecule josamycin, used against certain infectious diseases affecting the lungs, sinuses, throat…
- The Astellas laboratory “will stop the marketing of all presentations of the Josacine specialty”, due to an “industrial decision”.
- However, no other specialty based on josamycin is available in France, while the last stocks should already be exhausted in March.
In a few days, Josacine, an antibiotic used against several infectious diseases of bacterial origin, will be completely absent from the shelves of pharmacies in France. Its sole manufacturer, the Astellas laboratory, has stopped production, as the health authorities announced on Monday February 27, 2023, when a shortage already concerns many treatments, due to the general context.
Josacine: total depletion of stocks estimated in March
The laboratory “has decided to stop the marketing of all presentations of the specialty Josacine”can we read in a communicated of the National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM). “To date: the presentations Josacine 500 mg, film-coated tablets and Josacine 125mg/5ml, granules for oral suspension, are no longer available; a split distribution (quota) is currently in place for the presentations Josacine 1000 mg dispersible tablet, 250 mg/5ml and 500 mg/5ml granules for oral suspension, until end of stock estimated in March 2023”specifies the ANSM.
Josacine is the trade name of an antibiotic composed of the molecule “josamycin”. This is prescribed to fight against several infectious diseases affecting the lungs, sinuses, throat… However, “no other specialty based on josamycin is available in France”warns the ANSM, while the last stocks should already be sold in March.
Antibiotic: the cessation of production motivated by an “industrial decision”
It was the manufacturer who made the choice for this pause in production, justifying it with a “industrial decision”, without further details. The safety and efficacy of the antibiotic are not the reason for this choice. The group claimed to have planned a plan to continue to make possible the presence for several more years of Josacine on the shelves of pharmacies.
However, in the current context of antibiotic shortages, stocks have run out much faster than expected. Physicians and pharmacists can turn to alternatives based on recent recommendations from the main infectiology societies. The latter have evaluated how best to replace Josacine with treatments of the same type.
In addition, this drug is associated in the collective imagination with the “poisoned Josacine” scandal, which led to the death of a child. The case was based on suspicion of cyanide poisoning from a vial of this antibiotic. But, in reality, the safety of treatment with Josacine has never been questioned.
