Pharmacists have seen a surge in requests for help from parents dealing with the shortage, including questions about whether it’s safe to give their children adult versions of ibuprofen or acetaminophen — the generic names for Advil and Tylenol, respectively — to help with high fever or pain.
Read more: Canada still faces shortage of painkillers for children. What options do parents have?
Barry Power, a pharmacist and editor-in-chief of the Canadian Pharmacists Association, says parents can give their children Advil and Tylenol, but it’s important to make sure the proper dose is given. He says he worries about accidental overdoses by children who take too many of these adult drugs. Story continues below ad “It’s easy to give the wrong amount,” he said. A full regular strength tablet or pill should only be given to children 12 years of age and older. For younger children, the pills can be cut in half or into smaller pieces and either swallowed or crushed into soft foods like applesauce to help mask the taste, she said. However, calculating the correct dosage or amount of one tablet for adults can be difficult, as it depends on the weight and not the age of the child.
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Giving children, or anyone, too much of these drugs can lead to liver damage, he said. That’s why Power says parents who are considering stopping adult meds for their children because of the shortage should consult a specialist for help determining the right dosage. “It’s absolutely critical if you’re going to go down the pill-cutting route that you talk to a pharmacist or your doctor about the appropriate dosage,” he said. “And it’s something you have to think about very carefully.” Acetaminophen is one of the most commonly overdosed drugs in the world because people often accidentally take too much by taking Tylenol in addition to cough or cold medicines that also contain acetaminophen, he said. Story continues below ad 1:52 Pharmacies produce compounded painkillers for children amid ongoing shortages And while there are antidotes available for accidental overdose, it’s best to avoid getting to that point, Power warned. “The main problem with acetaminophen poisoning is that it’s often asymptomatic or there are no signs of symptoms until it’s very advanced and in a pretty difficult situation,” he said. Starting this summer, acetaminophen and ibuprofen products for infants and children have been in limited supply in retail stores, pharmacies and hospitals across Canada. Health Canada says the shortage is due to unprecedented demand. It recently approved the importation of ibuprofen from the United States and acetaminophen from Australia to supply hospitals in Canada. Manufacturers of these drugs in Canada have increased production by 30 percent, but demand continues to outstrip supply, Power said. Story continues below ad 1:22 Trudeau says Health Canada is taking steps to return children’s painkillers to stores A spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson, which makes Tylenol products in Canada, told Global News in a statement last week its Canadian manufacturing site “operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and products are shipped across the country every day”. Haleon, which makes children’s Advil in Canada, also told Global News it is working hard to increase production in response to unprecedented demand and encouraged consumers to buy only what they need. The surge in demand comes as Canada experiences an early start to flu season and a particularly large increase in the number of children sickened by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), all while COVID-19 continues to circulate. Some children’s hospitals across the country, already facing staff shortages, have been overwhelmed by families bringing their sick children to the ER, prompting some hospitals to urge parents to take their children to emergency rooms only in cases of serious illness. illness or injury. . Story continues below ad
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“The timing couldn’t be worse,” said Dr. Anna Banerjee, a pediatric infection specialist. Drug shortages are exacerbating an already overburdened health system, he said. Some desperate parents take their children to the ER, hoping to get prescriptions for their sick children. “This adds fuel to the fire where parents are agonizing over the fact that there are no hospital beds, but also, when children get sick right now, they don’t have the essential medicines to reduce their fever or treat their pain. “ Banerji echoed Powers’ warning to parents that while it may be safe for children to take Advil or adult Tylenol, they need to make sure they are giving the proper dose. “If you child is a bit older, then it’s not that hard to work out how much ibuprofen or acetaminophen they would need… But when it gets to the younger babies, I would make sure you double check or get someone to help you figure out the actual doses” . Justin Bates, CEO of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, says parents worried about figuring out how to properly cut and dose adult painkillers for their child can sometimes access compounded solutions from their local pharmacy. Story continues below ad
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These liquid formulations are mixed by pharmacists to ensure the exact correct dose required for an individual child. But not all pharmacies offer this service, Bates said. When pharmacies receive shipments of children’s painkillers, some may also choose to introduce point-of-sale limits to prevent stockpiling, he added. “If we don’t match supply with demand and we do things to help — whether it’s imports from the US, rationing and looking at other mechanisms — then, my concern would be that we’re going to continue to be in a precarious position with the supply chains throughout the winter.”
