Parents may need a prescription for some children's liquid medication, SickKids warns
Parents of young children may need a prescription for over-the-counter fever and pain medication due to a shortage at some pharmacies, Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children is warning.
In a letter sent to caregivers, the hospital said some pharmacies across the country are dealing with supply shortages of liquid Tylenol and Advil.
"If your child requires the liquid form of acetaminophen, you will now require a prescription," the letter says. "It cannot currently be sold over the counter because it has to be repackaged from large bottles into smaller bottles by the pharmacist."
In a statement to CTV News Toronto, a SickKids spokesperson said that pharmacies such as Shoppers Drug Mart, in addition to SickKids' inpatient pharmacy, are impacted by the nationwide shortage. The hospital says that children staying overnight at SickKids will be able to get the medication, but those who visit the hospital and then go home will need to get a prescription from their health-care provider.
“While some retail pharmacies may have adequate supply of these over-the-counter medications, other pharmacies may only have them available in large quantities that must be dispensed by a pharmacist. For this reason, the medication may require a prescription,” Sarah Warr, senior communications advisor for SickKids, said.
"The health and safety of our patients is our top priority and we continue to closely monitor this situation," Warr said. "We have been working with our vendors and clinical partners to develop and implement strategies to help preserve our remaining supply."
Jen Belcher, vice president of strategic initiatives and member relations for the Ontario Pharmacists Association, says this recommendation doesn't mean customers can’t buy liquid Advil and Tylenol over the counter.
“The prescription does make it easier in the sense that it provides instructions for dispensing of that product. But ultimately, liquid Tylenol has not changed from an over the counter drug to a prescription-only product,” she told CP24.
Belcher explained that the shortage is impacting smaller bottles that are normally sold over the counter, which is why they are recommending parents get prescriptions in some cases so that pharmacists can use larger stock bottles to fill those requests.
SickKids also recommends that parents consider other forms of medication, including chewable tablets.
"Speak to your pharmacist or health-care provider first to ensure you give your child the right dose," the letter adds.
The shortage comes a month after the Ontario Pharmacists Association warned that heightened demand and supply chain constraints were fueling a shortage of cold and flu medication.
"If you go to pharmacies across Ontario and other provinces, you're likely to see a number of different gaps on our shelf," Belcher told CTV's Your Morning in July.
"(The medication) could be back by fall when we return to regular cold and flu season but it's really hard to predict at this point in time and I couldn't say with any degree of confidence, unfortunately."
At the time, Belcher said some children's painkillers were on backorder.
CTV News Toronto has reached out to the Ministry of Health as well as Shoppers Drug Mart for more information on how the shortage is impacting Ontarians.
It is unclear how many pharmacies are affected.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Pastrnak scores winner, Bruins down Leafs 2-1 in overtime in Game 7
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Bombarded with spam texts? Stats show the problem is getting worse in Canada
In particular, messages that involve phishing — an attack where a scammer tries to trick the recipient into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or sharing sensitive information — are on the rise.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc says
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Macklem tries to stay out of the fray as MPs do their best to use him to score points
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem navigates a political minefield every time he testifies before the House of Commons finance committee.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.