Shortages of cold and flu medications continue to plague Quebec pharmacies as shelves empty as fast as they fill due to historically high demand.
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“Yes, the situation is difficult and unusual. We haven’t seen that often, ”says Hugues Mousseau, general manager of the Quebec Association of Pharmacy Distributors (AQDP) from the outset.
If the problem has persisted for several months now in children’s products, the shortage has however increased in specialized drugs to counter the common cold in adults.
“The demand is so high right now. We are at a historic level, ”he confirms.
It targets two reasons to explain the shortage, namely the reserves which have been emptied to meet the abnormally high needs and the companies of all brands which have rationed the production of certain drugs.
“Normally, we have several weeks of reserves for all products. There, we are in a context of “just in time” That is to say that what arrives at home is immediately redeployed to pharmacies, ”explains Mr. Mousseau.
He specifies that in adult products, Tylenol and Advil for pain are in sufficient quantity in the branches.
children
The shortage of drugs for children – acetaminophen and ibuprofen – is far from easing.
Photo Louis Deschenes
The situation is similar in all pharmacies in the greater Quebec City region. Brunet’s shelves on Chemin Quatre-Bourgeois in Quebec City were also stormed.
“In recent weeks, we have seen another increase in demand,” said Hugues Mousseau, who adds that it is up to two and a half times the usual demand.
He says his troops have worked hard in recent weeks to secure imports.
Moreover, products from Australia have made it possible to meet needs, particularly in hospitals.
On the other hand, last November, 250,000 bottles of syrup from the American company Johnson & Johnson arrived on Quebec soil and 160,000 additional bottles of Tylenol for children arrived in the last few days.
However, the labels are in English, so pads of sheets with French instructions have been provided. Parents can also visit the tylenol.ca website.
24/7 factories
Currently, production plants operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Companies have also targeted the most popular products and increased their production.
The six distribution centers in Quebec are also running at full speed. These are 10,000 people who will work almost without respite during the holiday season.
This industry is used to heavy workloads. Last year at this time, it was the madness of rapid tests to detect COVID-19 that had to be distributed in time for Christmas.
In closing, the director general of the AQDP recalls an important message.
“If you cannot find a medicine, consult the pharmacist and he will be able to guide you to find alternative solutions depending on the symptoms.”