Relief in sight for kids’ pain medication shortage, pharmacist says

Parents across Ontario are trekking from one pharmacy to another in search of children’s pain medications like Tylenol and Advil to no avail.

The shortage has been an issue since August when COVID-19 infections collided with viruses that normally occur in the winter.

Deputy chief of pediatrics at McMaster Children’s Hospital Dr. Anthony Crocco is predicting this fall and winter to be worse, “we’re expecting this winter to be very, very busy.”

The CEO of Ontario pharmacists Justin Bates says the summer surge in demand took drugmakers by surprise.

“In August, we had upwards of 300 per cent increase in demand, which is well beyond the normal consumption patterns. So manufacturers are upping their production by about 35 per cent, which is a record level but there’s only so much capacity in terms of their factories and the production lines,” Bates said.

Bates says restocks of children’s pain meds will first head to hospitals sometime this month. Local pharmacies should then see better supply by November.

When the pain medications arrive, Bates says pharmacies are looking at ways to prevent panic buying like storing the products behind the pharmacy counter.

In the meantime, Dr. Crocco says concerned parents are recommended to take their sick child to hospital, however, wait times could be hours depending on severity.

Parents could also ask their pharmacists to make child pain meds out of adult tablets.

“What the pharmacist may be able to do is compound the medications that they have available for adults into a pediatric formulation and that’s something the pharmacist can do in conversation with the parents,” Dr. Crocco said.

Dr. Crocco says while the packaging and regulations may be different, the drugs should be safe.