NANAIMO — Pharmacists across Canada are facing shortages of common children’s medication and pain relievers amid nationwide supply disruptions.
They are telling parents they are still able to purchase liquid Tylenol or Advil without a prescription, and reminding them there are alternatives for fever and pain management.
Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Pharmacists Association Barry Power said the supply crunch in Ontario is currently concentrated in urban centres, and there have been reports of shortages in other parts of Canada with a higher population density.
Power said supply chain interruptions have contributed to the problem, along with an unexpected spike in respiratory illness this summer, including COVID-19, which increases the demand.
Drug manufacturers are ramping up production to get these pain relievers back in stock come fall cold and flu season, he added.
General manager of pharmacy for London Drugs Chris Chiew advises parents not to hoard children’s pain medication.
“If everybody just buys what they need for the fall and winter, I think that we will be able to get through what we need moving forward. If you do need something right away though and you do not see that product on the shelf, I would suggest talking to the pharmacist on duty or talk to other healthcare providers.”
He said speaking to those professionals can offer parents other solutions.
“Make sure you ask the proper questions, no allergies, and get the weight of the child too. And an option might be, with the proper recommendation, they can crush up tablets and put it into something the child likes to swallow and take it that way. There’s alternatives, but I strongly suggest talking to your healthcare provider first.”
As the country emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic there is high demand for cold and flu medication, according to a spokeswoman for the Retail Council of Canada, Michelle Wasylyshen.
“There have been rolling shortages of certain pain relievers in recent months, and some places have been hit harder than others.”
— with files from The Canadian Press
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