'It comes and goes': Over-the-counter children’s medicine getting harder to find

Southwestern Ontario parents looking to lower their child’s fever or relieve their headache are having trouble finding over-the-counter children’s medicine on pharmacy shelves.

One Essex County pharmacist said there’s been sparse supply of things like liquid Tylenol or Advil in the region, noting it’s been a growing concern for weeks.

“We've had shortages probably for the last several months,” said Tim Brady, owner of Brady’s Drug Store in Essex, Belle River and Tilbury. “It comes and goes.”

Brady said pandemic supply chain issues appear to be the cause of the limited quantity, suggesting some retail pharmacies may have an adequate supply of over-the-counter medications while other pharmacies may not.

“We’re trying to tell people don't go and buy eight bottles, but you should maybe take a look to see if you have some around,” Brady continued. “It's not a dire situation. It's not like the toilet paper shortage.”

Earlier this week Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) warned parents that they may need a prescription for over-the-counter fever and pain medication due to the shortage at some pharmacies.

Bare shelves at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Windsor, Ont. on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)The Ontario Pharmacists Association, of which Brady is chairman of, said the recommendation doesn't mean customers can’t buy liquid Advil or Tylenol over the counter, but that the prescription would make it easier to administer by providing instructions for properly dispensing the product.

“Most pharmacies are still going to have it,” Brady said. “We'll use it in bottles behind the counter which we have bulk bottles that we fill prescriptions with. So if you really, really need some you can always ask the pharmacy. They might be able to get you some poured out of that bottle.”

Meantime, a University of Windsor researcher studying Canada’s healthcare supply chain after the COVID-19 pandemic told CTV News this latest shortage in paediatric medication is no surprise.

“Drug shortages and shortages of any health products have increased probably 200 per cent in the last year to 18 months,” said Anne Snowdon. “It is a chronic challenge of making sure products are where they need to be for people who are ill and need those products to manage those illnesses.”

Snowdon explained pharmacies are often viewed as the canary in the birdcage in health care, while calling for a renewed focus on improving digital infrastructure between providers.

“Wouldn't it be better with a digital infrastructure that can help possibly proactively identify that risk and help pharmacies make sure they have the products people need and have health systems understand how can we keep people healthy and safe?”

“We haven't solved this challenge. And the challenge seems to be getting more prevalent, not less. We have very little if any ability for consumers to identify their particular health needs. We wait for them to show up and hopefully have the product for them.”

Snowdon added, “when those products become rapidly short, shelves are empty, it’ll often tell health systems we may have a problem.” 

Children's chewable Advil at a pharmacy in Windsor, Ont. on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)