By Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND — With Canadian hospitals facing the triple-threat of ongoing COVID-19 patients, a surge of RSV, and multiple strains of influenza, the Public Health Agency of Canada has officially declared a national flu epidemic.
The announcement comes as hospitals both local and national continue to face staffing crises, surging admissions, and a shortage of children’s pain and fever medications, adding further strain to a healthcare system already under stress.
To combat the issue of the shortages, Health Canada recently imported a million bottles of children’s medications, including Tylenol and Advil, which it is in the process of distributing to various locations, including hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies.
However, even with the influx of foreign medications and a 30% increase in output from Canadian medication production facilities, the demand for children’s medications continues to outpace available supply.
Justin J. Bates, CEO of Ontario Pharmacists Association, said in an interview with CP24 last week that there has been a 300% spike in demand for children’s medications this fall, predicting that the shortages will likely continue: “In order to be where we want to be, we’re looking at probably December/January when it comes to children’s Tylenol and Advil.”
The shortages have sparked a political firestorm, with opposition parties criticizing Trudeau’s Liberal government for failing to act on all the warning signs ahead of the current shortages.
The NDP’s website currently contains a petition to “put the pressure on” the federal government: “Medicines that fight our kids’ fevers and infections should be easy to get. But Canadian store shelves are bare,” reads an excerpt from the site.
The Conservative Party has also been outspoken in its criticism of how these shortages are being handled. Haldimand Norfolk MP Leslyn Lewis contributed to a video featuring Conservative MPs from across Canada demanding action as the MPs visit pharmacies across Canada and show bare shelves where the children’s medication should be.
The Press reached out to Phil Hauser, local pharmacist and owner of Hauser’s Pharmacy, for his thoughts on the ongoing shortages and some alternative options available.
“There are a variety of medications that are currently unavailable; they can range from individual molecules to manufacturer specific shortages. Currently the shortages receiving the most attention are the ones involving children’s medications. Each manufacturer has different timelines and reasons for shortages; refills and shipments are highly dependent on a variety of factors,” said Hauser.
He added, “It should be noted that back orders and shortages are not something new, pharmacists have been working to solve these types of issues for years. However, for pharmacists, making these recommendations and supporting patients with changes or disruptions is our MO and we’ve often got a multitude of solutions that can be put in place depending on the patient.”
He said that despite the shortages, a pharmacists’ job is to find solutions where possible: “We never turn away patients. I firmly believe this is at the core of being a healthcare professional…. No patient should feel abandoned or leave an interaction without receiving help.”
Hauser said that currently his pharmacies are seeing multiple families a day seeking help with empty store shelves: “It’s a bit of a perfect storm for parents with a virus that can spike high, prolonged fevers at a time when children’s medications are experiencing shortages.”
He said Hauser’s has “several options” for some of the current shortages, and noted the importance of “getting important medical advice from a trusted professional instead of Dr. Google.”
Hauser mentioned the practice of compounding medications – the process of mixing or altering ingredients to create medications for patients’ individual needs – a practice being undertaken by numerous pharmacies to make alternatives to name-brand medications. He added, “We at Hauser’s embrace compounding of medications. We do this on a regular basis.”
Hauser said that while many have been critical of Health Canada’s response to this ongoing issue, “As frontline healthcare workers, it’s difficult to see all the layers of Health Canada that are at work to solve this. I know that pharmacist organizations like the Ontario Pharmacist Association have been working tirelessly to support pharmacists and advocate for solutions that benefit patients and the healthcare system alike.”
He is encouraged by the steps taken to import medicines from outside the country as a short-term solution, “To the best of my knowledge American standards around this schedule of medications is comparable to our own. While the standards may be similar, the products may not be exactly the same.”
With this in mind, Hauser urged parents to read directions carefully on any medications and, if they have additional questions, contact a trusted professional such as their family doctor or local pharmacist.
