Health Canada approves children’s acetaminophen imports to Alberta

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The availability of paracetaminophen for youngsters ordered by Alberta from a Turkish producer has been accredited by Well being Canada, however the cargo stays on maintain.

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In early December, Premier Danielle Smith introduced the take care of Atabay Prescription drugs and Advantageous Chemical substances to import 5 million bottles of youngsters’s ache and fever medicine amid nationwide shortages of youngsters’s Tylenol and Advil.

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The pediatric acetaminophen was accredited to be used by medical professionals in Alberta hospitals in January, and the province has obtained a couple of quarter of 1,000,000 bottles. Anne Génier, a spokeswoman for Well being Canada, mentioned in an announcement to Postmedia that the medicine was solely accredited for inpatient use.

“This approval included the requirement for a robust well being product threat communication that informs healthcare professionals the way to safely administer the overseas product inside the Canadian hospital surroundings,” mentioned Génier.

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Alberta Well being Companies mentioned it obtained the hospital provides final month.

Overview of Turkish licensed ibuprofen underway

Smith informed reporters in January that packaging points had been inflicting delays within the approval and cargo of the youngsters’s medicine. When the deal was first introduced, Smith mentioned the county anticipated it to take at the least a couple of weeks to come back by means of, although there was no precise timeline.

Génier mentioned Well being Canada reviewed proposals for the Turkish-authorized pediatric acetaminophen and ibuprofen to import on a precedence foundation in January to be used in Alberta pharmacies.

Final week, Well being Canada accredited the usage of the liquid pediatric paracetamol, often called acetaminophen, in child-resistant packaging for distribution and sale at Alberta pharmacies for youngsters aged two to 11 years.

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Well being Canada’s assessment of ibuprofen is ongoing.

Génier mentioned earlier than the medicine could be imported and distributed on the market, threat communication and product labeling have to be finalized by the importer.

The province continues to be ready for last approval on the labels, Well being Minister Jason Copping mentioned on Thursday. Till then, the province doesn’t have a timeline for when the medicine shall be despatched.

“This can be a constructive step ahead. We have accredited the dose, however we nonetheless have a couple of steps to undergo,” Copping mentioned. “I am hopeful it has been days, however I have been longing for some time.”

Greater than 2.3 million models of ache and fever medicine for youngsters had been imported into Canada in late January

Though it took a while for the medicine to come back to Alberta, Copping mentioned there stays a scarcity in pharmacies throughout the province.

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“And the shelf lifetime of that is two years, so it is not nearly this season, it is also about subsequent season. As well as, we are going to proceed to cooperate with different provinces in the event that they want it and we will share it,” mentioned the minister.

Alberta Well being had no additional updates Friday.

Génier mentioned Well being Canada is working arduous to alleviate the scarcity of over-the-counter toddler and youngsters’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen merchandise.

Greater than 2.3 million models of ache and fever medicine for youngsters had been imported to hospitals, group pharmacies and retail shops in Canada by Jan. 24 in an effort to complement elevated home manufacturing of the medication.

sbabych@postmedia.com