Critics and parents in Toronto are calling on the Canadian government to act as an ongoing shortage of some kids' pain and fever medications remain unsolved, with the demand soaring due to kids being back in school, the cough and flu season ahead, and a probable new COVID-19 wave.
The world saw empty shelves of pain relief medicine for children in Toronto pharmacies last month, and the problem seems to persist.
Michael Barrett, a Federal Conservative health critic, stated that the government has "failed" to act and ensure sufficient supplies of medications for kids that contain acetaminophen and ibuprofen, City News Ottawa reported.
Barret suggested that Ottawa should exert emergency tools that will allow foreign medications to be imported into the country, provided that these medications comply with the regulations of Canada. He added this was successfully done with inhalers during the pandemic, and so for sure can be done again to solve the shortage of children's medication.
'Supply challenge than a shortage'
Jean-Yves Duclos, federal health minister, declared yesterday that Health Canada is very concerned about all these supply issues that for months have made parents worry and scramble to find medications like children's liquid Tylenol and Advil.
He assured the public that his department had already been in touch with manufacturers, pharmacists, and provincial and territorial governments. On the other hand, he wanted to remind Canadians and parents to stop the panic buying and stockpiling of medication as the situation is "under relative control."
The industry group, Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada's spokesperson, Anthony Fuchs, agreed with the Minister, stating that drug companies such as Johnson & Johnson, producer of Tylenol, and Haleon, producer of Advil, had already "ramped up production" to address the boosted spike in demand, which is 20 to 40 percent above historic highs.
Chief pharmacist officer at the Canadian Pharmacists Association, Danielle Paes, is calling the issue not a shortage but rather a "supply challenge," and reminded the government and manufacturers that there is an expected soar of demand due to "high levels of virus activity," not only from COVID-19 but from other viruses as well in the community especially that they are in the back-to-school season.
She suggested that pharmacists can opt to place these medications behind the counter to eliminate mass purchases, which many pharmacies are already doing.
Parents are worrying
Many parents have expressed fear that the problem will not be solved soon.
Tara Collins, a mother of three from Calgary, admitted that she is very concerned about where she will be able to find medications if her children would have colds and flu or if they will get COVID once again. She had already had her share of struggles looking for medicines a month ago when her son was sick, and now her supplies were running out.
Another mom from Calgary, Becca Travadi, said she recently needed to resort to non-medicinal treatments when her six-year-old kid fell sick. She is terrified as she expects circulation of more illness now that it's back-to-school and masks are off.
Meanwhile, the assistant professor at the University of Toronto's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy disagreed with Barret declaring that emergency imports are "a step too far," MSN reported.
He stated that the need lies in having more "clarity and communication on supply chain issues and timelines."
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