This is an absolutely must-have drug. Our hospital has been plunged into chaos because we must think about alternative drugs according to the type of surgery and the kind of disease.

The last prescription of antibiotics I received here were so weak I thought they were tic tacs. It goes without mentioning that that was also my last visit to that particular doctor.

Best bet it see 2 doctors and then 2 prescriptions it's the closest I can get to functioning medicine in Japan.

“shortage of cefazolin”

The cause of which is?

Scary. I wonder if the market is disfunctional.

@educator, from asahi: "Nichi-Iko Pharmaceutical Co., which controls about 60 percent of the domestic market share in cefazolin, said it was forced to suspend production after a number of contamination cases surfaced since late last year over a pharmaceutical ingredient produced by an Italian company."

Re drug shortages, it happens all the time/in all countries (mostly hospital drugs, i think). Often due to increased demand, manufacturing issues or device/drug recalls. (reckon it's been getting worse in the last few years.)

Goldorak,

Thanks for the research. I was busy and kinda resenting that we’d have to go searching for info that ought to be included.