Alberta’s shipment of children’s pain medication still going through federal approval: Copping

Alberta’s shipments of children’s medication – which was secured earlier this month – is going through final federal approval.

The province announced two weeks ago it had secured five million bottles of children’s fever and pain medication.

On Wednesday Health Minister Jason Copping said he hopes to know “in the coming days” when those bottles will hit pharmacy shelves.

Copping says he’s working with Health Canada to finalize those details. Part of the hold-up is that labelling is being assessed, and they’re waiting for a final sign-off from the factory in Turkey.

Copping says they are assessing the final cost on the kids’ meds.

While the province has gone through the peak of the influenza season, the health minister says it’s still worth bringing that shipment in.

READ MORE: Alberta nurse practitioner says shipment of children’s pain medication only a short-term fix

Bottles of pediatric acetaminophen and ibuprofen have been lacking across Canada for several months.

Other provinces have asked Alberta if they can tap into the five million-bottle shipment, according to Copping.

—With files from Courtney Theriault