Buffalo, NY (WBEN) Parents and grandparents have been scrambling to locate Children's Tylenol for their ill children, and one local pharmacist says the maker just isn't able to keep up with demand right now.
Don Arthur at Brighton Eggert Pharmacy says the shortage hit his radar when he was paid a visit by Canadians. "We had a couple of parents come over from Fort Erie mentioning that they weren't able to find any children's Tylenol on that side of the border," says Arthur. He began investigating and his conclusion is simple. "(Johnson & Johnson), the manufacturer, they're just not able to keep up with demand right now," explains Arthur. He notes shortages in drugs happen often, whether it's a raw material or a facility issue. "Everything that I can find related to Tylenol is it's just spike in demand due to RSV that's causing the shortage," says Arthur.
Arthur says he has run out of Children's Tylenol several times at his pharmacy and notes the suppliers he buys from are also having supply issues. "We purchase as all pharmacies do from large, national wholesale distributors, Cardinal Health and McKesson, even Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS have to rely on purchasing from these regional distributors," says Arthur. He says he is getting it in on an allocated basis, which means he's getting only some of what he's ordered. He says the biggest problem is with the Children's Tylenol doses, and the pediatric dose, the suspensions, the drops. "That's concerning, because with RSV, spiking in our community, there aren't a lot of treatments," says Arthur.
Arthur tells WBEN we don't have pharmaceutical options for RSV, currently. He notes the main treatments for those with RSV are fluids rest, and for fever, and general body aches and pains, it's either ibuprofen or Tylenol. "If you have children under the age of one, specifically under the age of six months, Ibuprofen is not appropriate. So Tylenol is the only option," explains Arthur.
If the need is urgent, Arthur says you'll have to keep driving until you find a place that has it. "I don't want to see people panicking and running out there and hoarding title and all this, that's not necessary," advises Arthur. But considering it's November, it's in your medicine cabinet, as soon as you can, not waiting until your child is sick.
Arthur did receive some shipments Friday, but some suspensions for the six month olds in prefilled oral syringes were marked hospital use only. Arthur says he has to check with the state to find out if it's appropriate for me to have that.
