Health Canada provides update on supply of children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen products

OTTAWA — Health Canada says they share the concerns of many parents and caregivers about their inability to find pediatric/infant and children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen products. Since the start of the shortage, they say they have been working to take actions to ensure that parents and caregivers have what they need to take care of children.

Over the summer months, they report there was unprecedented demand for these products and supply had not kept pace. Health Canada says they are working hand-in-hand with manufacturers and suppliers to keep increasing supply to meet consumer demand and to ensure that parents and caregivers have access to these important products.

Over the last few months, Health Canada has been in direct contact with manufacturers of pediatric/infant and children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen products, provinces and territories, children’s hospitals, the Canadian Pharmacists Association, the Canadian Pediatric Society, and the Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada to assess needs and avenues to expand supply, and to identify and implement shortage mitigation measures.

Minister Duclos has also personally spoken to several manufacturers, including Johnson & Johnson, Haleon and PharmaScience, to reiterate the urgent need to collaborate to find immediate solutions to this shortage so that parents and caregivers can have the medicines they need to take care of their children.

As manufacturers continue to ramp up production, with some producing products at record levels, additional supply has been made available. Additionally, companies who supply Canada have been provided pathways to import foreign products, and Health Canada says they are reaching out to additional suppliers.

Health Canada says they will provide regular updates on the supply situation of children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen products in Canada.