Cold and flu meds for adults harder to find in Quebec

After a shortage of pain and fever medications for kids some say cold and flu meds for adults are also becoming increasingly hard to find in Quebec pharmacies.

“There is a shortage right now for cold and flu medication for adults in Quebec. We’re not able to fill the shelves at the pharmacy like we used to. Products go out as soon as they get in,” says Pierre-Marc Gervais, Senior Director Pharmaceutical Services with the Quebec Pharmacist Owner Association.

Quebec began to see signs of increase in demand since spring of this year – making it more difficult to get access to every type of adult cold and flu products.

Supplies are still getting into pharmacies but Quebec’s Pharmacist Owner Association says it’s not enough to fully respond to the high demand.

“It’s not a life threatening situation. Most of the time, for cold and flu, just using basic Tylenol or basic Advil will do the trick. So if you have a slight fever, you don’t need to use medications that are specifically labeled for cold and flu,” Gervais explained.

Basic Advil and Tylenol, Gervais says is available.

The Quebec Association of Pharmacy Distributors agrees that demand is strong but says there isn’t a shortage.

“In adults right now there are no shortages. Some products in the analgesics category for adults may be in more limited capacity, but it’s 125 different products in that category and people over the years have been accustomed to seeing new products being introduced, new product formulations and so on. But the reality is that often two, three, four or five different products on the shelves do carry the same medical ingredients,” explained Hugues Mousseau, Directeur General of the Quebec Association of Pharmacy Distributors.

The COVID-19 pandemic Mousseau says has created tension in the supply chain.

Empty shelves of cold and flu medication at the Jean-Coutu on Lacordaire in Saint-Leonard on Nov. 28, 2022. Photo Credit: Pamela Pagano/CityNews

“In the adult product category, demand is strong, but not necessarily that much higher than what we’ve seen pre-pandemic,” he added.

Gervais says it’s about demand. Possibly due to Quebec dealing with multiple viruses circulating like COVID-19 and the flu.

Quebec’s emergency rooms are seeing an overload of patients. Montreal’s average ER occupancy rate was 139% on Monday afternoon. Gervais says people might have a hard time to see a doctor, turning to pharmacies to self-treat their colds.

“People self-treating themselves. I think is the reason why we’re seeing increase in demand,” he said.

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“I think the general advice to give to people is if the specific thing you need is not available, ask your pharmacist if there is an alternative because they might be able to get the same medication from elsewhere or they might be able to make an alternative,” explained Dr. Christopher Labos, cardiologist and epidemiologist.

“We’re fully committed to ensure that that Quebecers have access to the drugs they need when they need it. So that’s our that’s our objective. And we’re working towards that,” added Mousseau.