Canada’s pharmacies grapple with shortages. These drugs are facing the pinch

globalnews.ca:

commonly used drugs are spanning the country and aren’t expected to resolve until at least the new year, causing both pharmacists and patients to search for alternative solutions.The persistent shortage of Lenoltec No. 4, the generic version of Tylenol 4 (also known as T4s), along with Ozempic, a widely-used drug for Type 2 diabetes, has lasted for several months.

Some pharmacists are increasingly concerned over the growing challenge of meeting the demand for these essential medications.“Certainly the shortages being reported by the manufacturers are impacting all of Canada,” said Jody Shkrobot, assistant clinical professor with the University of Alberta at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.But certain areas in Canada might experience more significant shortages, he explained.“You might see one pharmacy with a little bit of product because they don’t have a lot of patients that are utilizing that medication versus another pharmacy that has run into situations that they can’t supply their patients,” he said.Lenoltec No. 4 is a narcotic pain reliever that has been in short supply sinceApril 19, 2023, when it was first reported to Canada’s drug shortage database.

Teva Canada, the pharmaceutical company that makes this generic drug, said it estimates the shortage will last until Jan. 10, 2024, according to Canada’s drug shortage database.Global News contacted Teva Canada to inquire about the cause of the supply shortage but did not received a response by the time of publication.On Canada’s drug shortage website, the company stated the reason for the shortage was “disruption of the manufacture of the drug.”The shortage of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug, Ozempic (the one-milligram injection pens) started Aug.