Pharmacies in London start 2023 with shortages of children’s pain meds | CBC News

Pharmacies in London now have more options when it comes to prescribing medication for minor ailments, but owners say they’re still dealing with a shortage of children’s pain and fever medication.

Since last August, pharmacies across the city have been hit with shortages of children’s acetaminophen (commonly branded as Tylenol) and ibuprofen (branded as Advil), which have sold out faster than they can be stocked.

“It’s an expanded scope of practice. It’s an opportunity to do more. But it’s challenging,” said Scott Coulter, pharmacist and owner of Coulter Pharmacy & Home Health Care.

The expanded list for prescriptions came into effect for participating Ontario pharmacies on Jan. 1.

While pharmacists can now prescribe more medications for ailments such as eczema, pink eye, cold sores and hives, children’s respiratory illnesses still pose a challenge, Coulter added.

Children’s pain medications are still running dry and regular adult Tylenol is now often in short supply as parents start to break up the pills and compound the doses, Coulter added.

“What we typically see with shortages is one shortage creates another,” said Justin Bates, CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association.

The expanded prescriptions for pharmacies won’t further dwindle supplies of children’s medication, but it’s expected to increase worries over demand and supply chain issues.

“You look for other options like importing drugs and that tends to put a strain on other international jurisdictions and we’ve seen unprecedented demand with the triple threat in our country this season,” he added.

“Things have slightly eased up, now that the government has put some into the system,” said Mina Abdelsayed, director of operations at London Medical Pharmacy.

Shipments of children’s pain and fever medication trickled into pharmacies last month after the federal government secured a million bottles from foreign suppliers.

Pharmacies in London are still forced to pull resources and reach out to each other when supplies run out, Abdelsayed added.

“It’s being allocated to pharmacies, so you can’t just get exactly what you need,” he said.

Despite pharmacies starting a new year with the same shortages some — including Proudfoot Pharmacy — are in better shape with small bursts of stock and expanded prescriptions for minor ailments.

“For the uncomplicated ailment, we can prescribe something so it’s good for patients who don’t always have access to primary care professionals,” owner Nivin Mehanni said.

“It’s frustrating for sure not to have things on hand yet,” she added.