A severe national shortage of some children’s medicines that has frustrated area parents doesn’t show signs of letting up anytime soon.
Pharmacies and some larger stores such as Target and Walmart have been running out of the medicines, including Children’s Tylenol and Motrin, prompting parents and guardians to go from store to store.
Stores and their drug suppliers are facing steep challenges keeping up with the demand for children’s antibiotics and painkillers as colds, the flu, the respiratory illness RSV and COVID spike.
While chain pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens have been forced to limit sales in store and/or online, independent pharmacies are struggling as well.
“Many customers are asking for Tylenol, ibuprofen, Amoxicillin, Adderall, Ozempic, Trulicity,” said Abram Agayby, a pharmacist and owner of County Square Pharmacy in Attleboro, one of the few independent pharmacies in the area. “I tell them to check in with us every day because we receive a small amount every day.”
The drug store Friday morning had most of the medicines.
“Now I’m sold out for the day,” Agayby said around mid-day. “The shelves are completely empty.”
The pharmacist said his store has been forced to limit sales of some children’s medicines to one particular item per customer as the pharmacy is receiving limited numbers of products.
Agayby explained that his pharmacy, being independent, is able to more quickly receive some inventory than some chain drug stores because he deals with smaller distributors and doesn’t have to go through a lot of the procedural steps they do.
“We have partnerships with small local vendors,” Agayby said. “We really can go above and beyond finding such products.”
The Tylenol shortage has impacted the pharmacy for a few weeks but some shortages have been going on for months, he said.
The pharmacist also said his store is able to mix medicines in its lab.
“We are a compound facility, we’re able to make our own medicine in our lab,” Agayby said.
Doctors and other experts say the shortage problem could persist through the winter cold-and-flu season but should not last as long as other recent shortages of baby formula or prescription drugs.
It hasn’t helped the flu season that usually begins in earnest around December or January started in November this year, officials point out. The RSV illness that affects mainly children also has been more intense this year.
However, parents have alternatives if they encounter empty store shelves.
Parents having difficulty finding medicines are advised by health professionals to contact their health care provider/doctor, shop around and look into buying generic brands if that is advisable.
Also, to ward off illnesses, children should practice good hygiene and be up to date on their shots, health officials say.