16/12/2025
Ottawa, Ontario — Tuesday December 16, 2025
Amoxicillin is one of the most prescribed antibiotics for children. It’s the first choice for common infections seen in emergency departments (ED), like pneumonia, pharyngitis, and ear infections. But when a nationwide shortage of amoxicillin hit Canada in late 2022, pediatric emergency teams needed to find alternatives.
To prepare guidance recommendations at CHEO, a study from Waleed Alqurashi and Nicole Le Saux explored if cephalexin could be a suitable option to replace amoxicillin for treating pneumonia, pharyngitis, and ear infections during a supply shortage.
Reviewing more than 7,000 kids’ visits to the CHEO ED during the shortage period, they found that cephalexin use increased sharply in place of amoxicillin, while performing just as well as other antibiotic alternatives. Cephalexin also provides distinct advantages compared to other amoxicillin alternatives. This includes lower rates of diarrhea, potentially less disruption to the normal bacteria that populate the gut and lungs and less risk of developing antibiotic resistance – fewer short and long-term side effects for children who need antibiotics.
Pharmaceutical supply disruptions are a growing concern, and preparing evidence-based guidance for alternatives ensures that kids continue to receive safe, effective care during shortages.