Containers of children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen from overseas will hit pharmacies across the country early next week, Health Canada announced Friday. By the end of next week, more than one million bottles of the product are expected to be supplied to hospitals, community pharmacies and stores.
The shelves have been empty in Canadian pharmacies for several weeks. According to representatives of the pharmaceutical industry and public health, the demand for these drugs far exceeds the supply. According to the D.r Marc Berthiaume, director of the Bureau of Medical Sciences at Health Canada, domestic manufacturers doubled their drug production this summer, but that did not meet demand.
The federal government did not specify how many of the million bottles will make their way into pharmacies specifically, nor the country of origin of the drugs. The bottles could have different sizes than those usually sold in stores. “If you see products that are unfamiliar, there will be tear-off sheets or QR codes and an identifier indicating that the product is from abroad,” explained the Dr Supriya Sharma, Chief Medical Advisor at Health Canada.
French labeling
The Dr Berthiaume said that Ottawa would also ensure that the population has access in the official language of their choice “to crucial safety information, such as ingredients, dosage and potential side effects”. In October, Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos hinted that the government could make an exception to the language equity requirements for drugs coming from abroad.
At a press conference Thursday, Ontario’s Minister of Health, Sylvia Jones, suggested that the drugs were long overdue since the government required bilingual labeling. The requirement “has not slowed down access to products,” said the Dr Berthiaume Friday.
The government’s announcement comes as pediatric emergencies are overflowing across the country. According to the Dr Howard Njoo, Canada’s Deputy Chief Public Health Officer, said it was due in part to high circulation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza. The lab positivity rate for these two viruses nationwide is 8% and 16% respectively. These viruses have “great repercussions in children,” says the public health expert.
This story is supported by the Local Journalism Initiative, funded by the Government of Canada.