Can't find children's Tylenol? There's a shortage — but don't panic, says pharmacists' association

Canada's supply of liquid Tylenol for children has been running low for months — and the effects are being felt in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

Janice Audeau, president of the Pharmacists' Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, said Thursday some pharmacies are faring well while others are running out of product.

"There's no real rhyme or reason to know who has it or who doesn't but there's a shortage," Audeau said.

"It's not something we want people to panic about. Pharmacists navigate these shortages all the time. There's ways to help."

Audeau said there's a shortage of both name brand and generic brand products due to back order supply issues.

The product is used for fever and headaches in children, she said, and demand is increasing as kids are out in public more often as pandemic restrictions have largely been lifted.

"We've kind of had ourselves in little bubbles for a couple of years and now, of course, all those viruses that we used to experience normally outside of COVID, they're recirculating," said Audeau.

"And there is of course the wave of COVID that we're experiencing as well that people are trying to treat and manage." 

There's a shortage, Audeau said, because manufacturers are struggling to get some components of the suspension itself — liquid with small pieces of the drug inside — leading to global delays. 

Audeau said people have other options.

"If something does happen and you feel you do need Tylenol and you can't find it, just ask the pharmacist at the counter," she said. 

"There's other formulations of Tylenol. They're not as ideal sometimes. There are suppositories or maybe it's time we can use some of the tablets that are available and we can get an appropriate dose for your child using the tablet formulation."

The province's largest health authority, Eastern Health, says its team of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians monitors medication shortages and works with the other regional health authorities, manufacturers and Health Canada to optimize the existing supply, search for alternative manufacturers and identify other options to mitigate the effects of a shortage.

"We are aware that multiple manufacturers are reporting product back orders and intermittent supply availability for liquid acetaminophen; however, we currently have sufficient stock to meet anticipated needs for patients at Eastern Health facilities," the health authority said in a statement.

 Audeau said it's important not to "panic-buy."

"We also don't want to run into situations where people are using the wrong dose just to try to treat their child," she said. 

"Some of the supply issues that are happening, it's not just Tylenol. We have a lot of drugs that are on back order. It's just that this is so commonly used I think it's really hitting the media. There are drug shortages and [they happen] all the time."

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