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Three of the top four makers of the antibiotic amoxicillin, commonly used to treat bacterial infections in children, are reporting supply constraints in the US. (Swetlitz and John Milton, 10/21)

Strange as it sounds, the lighter-than-air element that gives balloons their buoyancy also powers the vital medical diagnostic machines. An MRI can’t function without some 2,000 liters of ultra-cold liquid helium keeping its magnets cool enough to work. But helium — a nonrenewable element found deep within the Earth’s crust — is running low, leaving hospitals wondering how to plan for a future with a much scarcer supply. (Hopkins, 10/22)

If you’re having trouble renewing your Adderall prescription, experts say you should work with your health-care provider to shop around at nearby pharmacies or discuss rewriting your prescription to a version of the medication that isn’t in such high demand. (Amenabar, 10/21)