Anybody Worried About Possible Medication Shortages?

[goldey]

The US news is full of reports telling people to stockpile food and meds, in case all the pill manufacturers in China shut down in the next months. Apparently most of the meds we take are made in China.

[Hidden]

Not bothered

[Hennerton]

Yes, I am concerned but we are unlikely to be given the opportunity to stockpile by our GPS, as they will need to write extra prescriptions.

[goldey in reply to Hennerton]

Canada is the same, they won't even let us renew prescriptions more than a week in advance. But I called my Doctor's office, and they said there aren't and shouldn't ever be any problem of shortages in Canada. They said there are places other than China makeing meds, and also there are always alternatives. I don't want to stop taking my Xeralto tho! I feel that it is keeping me alive!

[Hidden in reply to goldey]

I too live in the Toronto area. Yes we do have drug shortages. My blood pressures meds are short this month and my son's epilepsy meds are often shorted. We are on a Government watch list for these shortages.

Much of the meds come from China and India including nearly all of the vitamin C.

So I don't know what your doctor is talking about. Actually our hospitals are running short quite often.

hospitalnews.com/drug-short...

[SweetAdelyn in reply to Hidden]

I live north of Toronto and my Diltiazem has already been changed from Teva to Aura and back again. They couldn't fill my telmisartan at all and changed it to candesartan which is now out of stock and was changed to Irbesartan, so who knows what it will be next month.

[goldey in reply to SweetAdelyn]

oh no, I also take candesartan. My doctor's office told me just yesterday that there were NO med problems of any kind in Canada. I don't want to have to change meds, The ones I am on are perfect!

[Hidden in reply to goldey]

Trust me the doctors usually haven't got a clue. I know as I used to call on doctors as a pharmaceutical sales rep years ago.

Talk to your pharmacist and get on the government drug shortage email list.

[soberhoumom in reply to goldey]

Ask your doctor for samples!

[doodle68]

I do hope people don't 'stockpile' anything , it causes artificial shortages and problems for many .

I am not quite sure how it is possible to do so with prescrition medication these days , I seem to rationed by my GP practice with an exact months supply and can only re-order medication on a set date.

[jeanjeannie50]

I know a lot of pills in the UK are made here, but I haven't a clue where they get the ingredients from.

I certainly won't be stockpiling anything. This coronavirus could still come to nothing. As one who cooks all my own meals, I do however have quite a selection in the freezer. That's just the norm for me though.

I am considering re-instating my vegetable plot though, just in case fresh veg were to get scarce.

Jean

[sleeksheep in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Just looking at my Australian "packaged tablets " , all are foreign sourced , France, Greece, Germany and the only generic one I take is sourced from India ( Australian company owned by a large Indian pharmaceutical ).

[Jalia]

I have a small stock pile of my anti arrhythmic drug due to me reducing my dosage ( which proved not to be a good idea....) while repeat scripts remained the same. Just as well as unable to obtain supplies for last month at least ....distributors are hoping for supplies end of March but no guarantee.

[Madscientist16]

In the US, the most you can get on a script at one time is a ninety day supply. Some meds are not allowed to by dispensed for more than a one month supply. Not sure how anyone could stockpile unless laws are broken.

[seasider18]

Perhaps we might feel better by not being over medicated.

[Mittzy]

I worry about Brexit too, if there is no deal as a lot of our meds come from the EU. Lots of uncertainty at the moment fear at the moment.

[sleeksheep in reply to Mittzy]

Logically if a UK pharmaceutical is unable to supply it could be sourced from any Canadian / Australian / pharmaceutical which is more than often owned by a UK parent company.

Also a lot of pharmaceutical companies are Swiss.

I dont think Brexit could legally stop trade under Free Trade Agreements.

[Coco51]

It is a worry. But I guess if there is a shortage the pharmacy will do what they do now-- give out one week's supply at a time. I always seem to have a week or two in hand because one tablet runs out 2 weeks ahead of the others (on repeat prescription) and to save me another trip the chemist gives me all the other tablets at the same.

[Bawdy]

Toilet paper and medication, I'm over it, let's settle down to a nice glass of shiraz, all will be well, cheers