Some children’s pain relievers in short supply, say 2 Ontario hospitals

TORONTO — Two Ontario pediatric hospitals say they’re facing shortages of common pain relievers amid supply disruptions in some parts of the country.

Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children and Ottawa’s CHEO say they’re taking steps to maintain supplies of liquid Tylenol and Advil for patients who are admitted, and are helping find solutions for children who are discharged.

In a letter addressed to caregivers earlier this week, SickKids said health workers would provide prescriptions for the liquid form of acetaminophen, which is known by the brand name Tylenol.

Some retailers may have these over-the-counter drugs in stock, while others may only have large bottles that need to be dispensed by a pharmacist, the Toronto hospital said in a statement Thursday following media reports about the memo.

“Dear Caregiver letters are routinely distributed to patients and families,” SickKids said. “The letter was not intended as a recommendation for the general public.”

Tylenol’s manufacturer said its children’s products are still available in Canada without a prescription in stores and online.

“We continue to experience increased consumer-driven demand and are taking all possible measures to ensure product availability,” Johnson & Johnson said.

In Ottawa, CHEO said it was among the pediatric health centres feeling the strain on supplies of liquid acetaminophen and the generic version of Advil, ibuprofen.

The hospital encouraged parents to ask their pharmacist about alternatives for fever and pain management, spokesman Paddy Moore said in an email.

A spokesman for Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada, an industry group that counts Johnson & Johnson as a member, said there are “pockets” of Canada where shortages have happened, but downplayed the severity of the issue.

“In many cases, if there’s a shortage at a particular pharmacy, those parents that are looking for that product are able to go to a secondary pharmacy and often find it without that much trouble,” said Anthony Fuchs.

As Canadians have emerged from COVID-19 lockdown, there is high demand for cold and flu medication, said Michelle Wasylyshen, a spokeswoman for the Retail Council of Canada.

There have been rolling shortages of certain pain relievers in recent months, and some places have been hit harder than others, said Wasylyshen.

by The Canadian Press