1M units of imported kids’ pain meds now hitting pharmacy shelves as flu rates spike – CTV
Nov. 27, 2022
OTTAWA – Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos says the previously announced one million units of imported kids’ pain relievers are starting to arrive on pharmacy shelves, while an additional 500,000 units have been ordered and are expected over the next few weeks.
A separate shipment of kids’ pain relievers from Australia are headed for hospitals and domestic production has ramped up, Duclos said at a news conference Friday morning.
Parents across Canada have been scrambling to manage their children’s fever and pain as rates of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza skyrocket amid a dire shortage of pediatric acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
Last week, Health Canada said the one million imported units will be almost identical to the medications that are authorized in this country, typically known by the brand names Tylenol and Advil.
“In some places, the shelves already show those units received. In other places it might take an additional day or so,” Duclos said.
