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Retailers limiting purchases of children's medicine
Regina Gonzalez reports
TAMPA, Fla. - CVS and Walgreens announced Monday they are limiting how many children’s pain relief medications people can buy at once amid a surge in children's respiratory viruses.
In an official statement, Walgreens representatives said this was "due to increased demand and various supplier challenges. Over-the-counter pediatric fever-reducing products are seeing constraint across the country, the limits were put into place in an effort to help support availability and avoid excess purchases."
Shelves remain nearly empty near the section for children's medicine, Monday, Dec.19, 2022 at a Walgreens, in New York, United States. NYC In recent weeks, due to a lack of Children's Tylenol and other medications.(Photo by Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency …
Walgreens has limited online purchases to six over-the-counter fever reducers per transaction, but it does not have an in-store purchase limit. CVS, however, is implementing both – restricting in-person and online purchases to two children’s pain relief products.
Doctors and pharmacists are blaming this year's early and fast-tracked flu season along with COVID-19 and an uptick in respiratory illnesses like RSV for the impact on supplies.
"It's very difficult to tell a parent you don't have medications which they truly need," said California pharmacist said Ken Thai. " "We're running out of Infant Tylenol, children's Tylenol. We bought, like, three, four cases. We're almost done with our last case."
Aside from over-the-counter products, the prescription antibiotic amoxicillin is in short supply due to increased demand, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The drug is often used to treat nose and throat infections in children.
A sign is placed near the section for children's medicine, Monday, Dec.19, 2022 at a Walgreens, in New York, United States. NYC In recent weeks, due to a lack of Children's Tylenol and other medications, caring for a sick child has been much more dif …
Doctors are advising parents not to panic. So, what can parents do? First, check for alternatives in the store if some products aren’t available. Doctors said generic versions of brand-name products are perfectly safe and sometimes more affordable options. A family doctor may know which stores have decent supplies.
You can also search online where sites seem to limited supply of infant and children's fever reducers. You may have to be flexible with longer shipping dates or pick-up dates at store locations.
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Depending on the age of your child and the severity of the fever, doctors said they don't always need to be treated with medicine. Instead, consider giving the child a bath in lukewarm water or setting up a humidifier in their room.
Doctors are stressing to parents to avoid giving their children adult versions of these medications.