A B.C. doctor is advising that when imported children’s pain and fever products start appearing on shelves next week, it will be very important for parents and caregivers to pay attention to the dosing.
“Given that this will be coming from other countries, I don’t know what their dosing is going to be like,” family physician Dr. Anna Wolak told Global News. “So, don’t use the usual Tylenol dosing that you’re used to, and make sure you check the labels and speak to a pharmacist or doctor if there are any concerns.”
Health Canada confirmed Friday that imported medication will be arriving as Canadian families have been grappling with a shortage of children’s pain medication, with unprecedented demand for children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen emptying shelves across the country.
Manufacturers of these drugs in Canada have said they have increased production by 30 per cent, but demand continues to outstrip supply.
“We’ve now received and approved three proposals to import foreign product and supply has started to enter the country,” confirmed Health Canada’s senior medical advisor, Dr. Supriya Sharma on Friday.
Parent Corey Larson told Global News the medication shortage has been a real challenge.
“It’s a disaster, is the nicest way I can put it,” he said. “And so many parents are panicking.”
After next week, more than one million bottles of products will have entered Canada to supply hospitals, community pharmacies and retailers.
“These foreign products include, liquid ibuprofen for children and liquid acetaminophen for children and babies,” Sharma said.
The announcement comes as Canada grapples with three separate surges in viruses.
“With the arrival really early of the triple-demic they’re calling it, so, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), influenza and COVID still being there… the demand side was always there,” Wolak said.
Last month, Health Canada approved the exceptional importation of ibuprofen from the United States and acetaminophen from Australia to supply hospitals in Canada amid the shortages.
It said if a parent or caregiver sees brands on the shelf they may not be familiar with, know there will be information from Health Canada in order for people to understand what they are buying.
“If you see product that might be a little bit unfamiliar to you, a little bit different, there will be information including tear sheets, QR codes and identifiers for the product that’s foreign product,” Sharma said.
Health officials are still urging everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and influenza, saying the shots will cut down the need for medication.
– with files from Global News’ Rachel Gilmore