Pharmacies seeing a growing list of medicine in short supply

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    Edmonton pharmacies have yet to receive a shipment of children's medicine following Health Canada's announcement. But as Laura Krause reports, there is a growing list of medicine in short supply.

    Health Canada confirmed on Nov. 18 that pain and fever products for kids will be available in pharmacies the following week, as the country faces a nationwide shortage of children’s medicine.

    Its since been more than one week since that announcement, and Edmonton pharmacies say they have yet to receive any shipments.

    “Now we’re at the point where almost all liquid medication for children is unavailable, but now we are starting to see some adult medication shortages as well,” says Dennis Cai, a pharmacist at Access Pharmacy.

    However, as pharmacies wait for a shipment, they are seeing a growing list of other types of medicine in short supply. “Prescription drugs are starting to be shorted as well. Not just amoxicillin but some of the other antibiotic liquids as well.

    Cai says he is concerned about the antibiotic shortage. “I’m not super concerned about the Tylenol and Advil shortages, after all those are typically for minor illnesses. I am more concerned for the antibiotic shortages, because with antibiotic use, its usually for more severe conditions such as pneumonia, and if it isn’t treated promptly it could lead to life-threatening problems.”


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    Cai says a lot of people are getting sick, therefor suppliers are unable to keep up with the demand. When unable to provide clients with the medicine they need, he refers them to compounding pharmacies that can produce medications when commercial medicine is unavailable.

    “Whenever there is a commercial product that is short and unavailable we can have this pharmacy produce such a product, to mimic as such, so even if something isn’t commercially available, we’re able to formulate a product that can be tailored to that patient,” says Michelle Tang, a pharmacist at PharmaSave Southgate Professionals.

    She says despite the shortage of commercial medicine products, they haven’t had to turn patients away empty-handed. “We’ve been ordering our compounding formulas, and we have an adequate supply so we are not having to turn parents away because we don’t have stock of it. So we are making sure we have adequate stock so when parents come, we can provide it to them,” she says.

    Both Tang and Cai say it’s unclear when or if they’ll receive a shipment of children’s medicine.

    “I’m sure there are other priorities ahead, such as hospitals, but eventually they will end up in other retailers, like our pharmacy here, so we are excited and we want to get this product and make sure parents and families know how to administer this new product,” says Tang.

    Cai adds “Hopefully once the stock comes in, there will be enough to go around so we can get some products in.”

    In the meantime, they recommend families do what they can to avoid getting sick. “Wear a mask if you’re okay with it, get your flu shot, and get your COVID shots,” Cai suggests.

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