Merck & Co’s US antibiotic withdrawal sends the wrong signals for combating resistance
By 
Rachel Brazil2026-10-12T08:00:00
Loss of last-resort combination Recarbrio reignites questions on how to pay for crucial but rarely-used drugs
A drug shortage notice posted on 9 September brought to light US pharma company Merck & Co’s decision to discontinue its intravenous antibiotic combination Recarbrio in the US. Merck confirmed its decision to voluntarily stop manufacturing and marketing the drug, which is used for serious antibiotic-resistant hospital infections, but stated ‘this decision is not related to any product safety or quality issues’.