Alberta to Import 5 Million Bottles of Children’s Pain, Fever Meds From Turkey

Infants’ Tylenol brand fever and pain reliever is seen in a home in Toronto on Oct. 7, 2022. (Giordano Ciampini/The Canadian Press)

EDMONTON—In what would be a relief to Alberta parents with sick children at the height of respiratory virus season, the government announced Dec. 6 that 5 million bottles of children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen from the country of Turkey will be imported into the province via 10 air shipments.

The government ordered the drugs at a premium cost from Atabay Pharmaceuticals and Fine Chemicals, a Turkish drug manufacturer based in Istanbul, and is now trying to get approval from Health Canada as required. The contract with the manufacturer is still being finalized. As soon as the licensing is complete, the government plans to distribute the shipment to various community and retail pharmacies, and will subsidize the cost to allow parents to purchase the medication at the normal retail price.

There has been at least a two-month shortage of both generic and brand-name Advil and Tylenol, partially contributing to overflowing waiting rooms at the province’s children’s hospitals. The province said it expects 500,000 bottles will be required for the remainder of flu season, and said extras could be shared with some of the other provinces and territories facing shortages once Alberta has the supply it requires.

Shortage for Months

Margaret Wing, CEO of the Alberta Pharmacists’ Association, said “there simply hasn’t been enough supply,” even though pharmacists have sourced ingredients and compounded medication from raw ingredients to help sick children.

The medication will be manufactured at a Health Canada-approved facility overseas and packaging will follow Health Canada guidelines. Drugs imported to Canada must meet safety, quality, and efficacy regulations set out by Health Canada in order to be authorized for import, said the province.

Atabay supplies various Western countries around the world including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and others.

Jason Copping, the province’s health minister, said the shortages have meant “busy hospitals and doctors’ offices, as parents run out of options to treat their little ones. The strain on our system is real, and we are doing everything in our power to ease the burden on our health-care system in whatever way we can.”

Danielle Smith, premier of Alberta, said the shortage has been an issue across the country, “with Alberta being in the same boat as all the other provinces.”

“It’s distressing to our families and to our Health Care Professionals when symptoms can’t be treated at home,” she said. “Many families are feeling overwhelmed dealing with especially fevers, coughs and other issues with their kids.”

The premier said the government is expediting the process and working cooperatively with Alberta Health to get all necessary approvals in place, “so we can load this massive shipment of pain relief medication on to the airplanes we’ve secured to bring this pain relief medication to Alberta families and children.”