Canada secures more foreign shipments of kids’ pain medications amid ongoing shortage
Global News
New shipments of children’s pain medications will be available for sale soon, thanks to foreign supplies of the medication recently secured by Health Canada.
New shipments of children’s pain medication will be available for retail purchase “in the coming weeks,” thanks to foreign supplies of the medication recently secured by Health Canada, the regulator said Monday.
The shipments of children’s acetaminophen are the latest in efforts from the federal government to secure additional supplies of children’s pain medications, due to a shortage of both children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen that has been ongoing since the summer.
Last month, Health Canada approved the exceptional importation of ibuprofen from the United States and acetaminophen from Australia, to supply hospitals in Canada amid the shortages.
The ibuprofen shipments have already arrived in Canada and distribution to hospitals has begun, according to a statement from Health Canada issued Monday.
Now, the agency says it has secured a foreign supply of children’s acetaminophen that will be available for sale at retail and in community pharmacies “in the coming weeks.”
The amount of this medication that will be imported will increase the supply available to consumers and will help address the immediate situation, Health Canada said in a statement.
“At this time, Canadians should buy only what they need, so that other parents and caregivers can access medication so we can meet the needs of sick children,” it added.
Health Canada carefully reviewed this new proposal to ensure it adhered to Canadian quality standards and found the product was “safe and effective,” the agency says.
