In a letter sent to parents and caregivers Monday, SickKids warned parents that they will now need a prescription to get liquid Tylenol or Advil from a pharmacy. It cannot be sold over the counter because it must be repackaged from large bottles to smaller bottles by the pharmacist, SickKids said. “Pharmacies across Canada are experiencing shortages of liquid forms of the common fever and pain medications acetaminophen and ibuprofen,” the letter states. The hospital said the information provided to parents “will help manage the situation until supplies return to normal levels”.
Here are some solutions suggested by the hospital
SickKids assured parents if a child stays overnight in the hospital they will get the medication they need for pain or fever. However, if a child visits the hospital and needs a liquid antipyretic or antipyretic medicine when they go home, parents should ask their health care provider for a prescription to get it from a pharmacy. The hospital says parents should consider buying other forms of acetaminophen or ibuprofen for their child. These options include:
Chewable tablets Acetaminophen suppositories (no ibuprofen equivalent) Cutting or crushing regular tablets
The hospital recommends that parents discuss the correct dosage with a pharmacist or health care provider if using one of these methods.
Liquid Tylenol Is ‘Disappeared’
Kyro Maseh, owner of Lawlor Pharmacy, said his pharmacy has been running out of liquid Tylenol for several months. “It’s not the first time … Liquid Tylenol is disappearing, the only thing available is the prescription form,” Maseh told CBC Radio’s Metro Morning on Tuesday. LISTEN | Toronto pharmacist says parents are ‘frustrated’ over lack of supply: Metro Morning 7:20 Shortages of over-the-counter pain and cold medicines worry parents and pharmacists Kyro Maseh is with Lawlor Pharmacy, an independent pharmacy on Kingston Road in Toronto. Maseh said that while his pharmacy still has liquid Advil in stock, the lack of supply of Tylenol has made it more difficult for customers. “It’s definitely very frustrating for a lot of parents. From our end we’re trying to mitigate that as much as possible,” he said. “It’s already hard enough to get a drug for a child — I know that firsthand. To not even find that drug makes it even harder.”
