Though Alberta is expected to see a shipment of children's pain medication this weekend, Lethbridge residents shouldn't expect it to be any easier to purchase the products.
The province announced on Dec. 6 it had secured 5 million bottles of acetaminophen and ibuprofen from a supplier in Turkey
Then, at a media availability earlier this week, the premiere said the first shipment of those medications would be arriving this weekend.
"It's going to be for Alberta Health Services to use," Smith said. "It's 250,000 bottles."
Because the first shipment will be for AHS and healthcare facilities only, local pharmacies that have been struggling to restock their shelves will continue to suffer.
"A lot of other places are having troubles," said Jay Joyal, pharmacy manager at Draffin’s Phramasave.
"When I go into other places, I have noticed that it's not readily available – or maybe only one or two products.”
Staff at the Coalhurst IDA have been able to keep shelves stocked with children’s medications for the most part, but the store has had to put in strict measures to ensure there’s enough to go around.
"We limit purchase one bottle for kid," said pharmacy manager Atrik Dalwadi.
"If they have two sick kids at home they can have two bottles, but we encourage the purchase limit, so we're making sure every sick kid or every sick patient gets the treatment they need right now.”
While the shortage may be concerning for parents, Joyal says there are still options if you run out of medication and can’t find more.
"The nice thing about here is that there are a couple pharmacies in town that do make the actual acetaminophen – Tylenol and Advil – so if there was a desperate need, we have referred patients to those places."
While this weekend’s shipment won’t find its way onto store shelves, pharmacists have faith that the shortage will be ending sooner rather than later.
"Things are getting better nowadays," says Dalwadi. "The shipment is moving in. Most pharmacies are doing very well shelving their stocks."
It's not known when the next shipment will arrive.
