Sask. pharmacy supplies children's pain, fever medications on prescription basis

Saskatchewan has not been spared by a nationwide shortage of children's pain and fever medications.

It prompted Nanogram Pharmacy, a Saskatoon compounding facility, to join a website launched by an Alberta pharma tech company that provides people with Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen — most commonly known as Tylenol and Advil — on a prescription basis.

An increased demand for medications has outstripped supply, Michael Fougere, CEO of the Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan said. Manufacturers have also faced supply-chain issues throughout the pandemic.

"We get a call every five to 10 minutes I would say [from] somebody looking for Acetaminophen," said Nanogram Pharmacy manager Stephanie Yeboah.

CBC News spoke to 10 pharmacies in Saskatoon and Regina that had no pediatric Advil or Tylenol as of Monday.

For many, this has been the case for the last two months and wholesalers and suppliers have not told them when they can expect to get more.

Some pharmacists say they occasionally get one or two boxes of medications and have limited customers to one bottle each.

Nanogram Pharmacy, a compounding pharmacy, makes medications similar to Advil or Tylenol from scratch.

Although children's Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen products are over-the-counter medicines, compounded medications require a prescription.

"Because we're making it from scratch, we need patient-specific information," Yeboah explained.

Edmonton-based company KemNet launched its website in August, which also provides medications for people in Alberta and Ontario.

"When the Tylenol and Advil shortage started … it was just the perfect opportunity for us to use the platform to help resolve that," said KemNet CEO and founder Morẹ́nikẹ́ Ọláòṣebìkan.

A pharmacist, or other prescriber such as a physician or nurse practitioner, requests medications and enters the customer's information. Then the pharmacist reaches out to the patient and the order is fulfilled.

Customers can then pick up their medication or it can be delivered to their homes. They can also make requests through the site.

Yeboah said the pharmacy can have the medication ready in as little as an hour.

"When you need pain relief for your child ... you need it right at this minute — you can't wait," Yeboah said.

"[Parents] are going to regular drug stores, it's not going to be there. Now it's just an easy form."