Pharmacies are struggling to supply common medicines such as paracetamol, cough syrups and lozenges due to supply issues nationwide.
Several over the counter medicines have become increasingly inaccessible to those looking to treat their illnesses at home. Sheena Mitchell, a pharmacist based in Milltown, spoke on RTE's Today with Claire Byrne about the worrying trend and the implications for those relying on community pharmacies.
She said that medications used to treat Strep A, a bacterial illness which can have rare but serious complications, are in high demand and are subsequently difficult to stock. She also said that paracetamol suppliers are struggling to source the active ingredient used in the drug, making it a much more difficult purchase.
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She told RTE: "We have been experiencing shortages for several months now, as far back as the summer, it has been an ongoing issue. We're seeing issues with antibiotics, particularly those which are used to treat Strep A infections- penicillin based antibiotics as well as separate ongoing issues with paracetamol."
She said that while people may be restricted in how they treat symptom thanks to the shortage, there are alternative brands in place for many affected medications. However, paracetamol is distinctly different as the issue relates to sourcing the active drug itself, also known as acetaminophen.
The pharmacist said that the shortages are partially linked to delayed communication with the HSE. Community pharmacies are hearing four to eight weeks too late that medications are not available, posing challenges for staff.
She said: "We got notified on January 4 in relation to shortages across the penicillin family range of antibiotics related to Strep A. We needed that information eight weeks ago because that was when we started to see the shortages on a ground level."
The high demand coincides with a surge in respiratory illnesses this winter. The health service is currently grappling with the 'triple threat' of Covid-19, seasonal flu and RSV, which has led to a spike in hospitalisations nationwide.
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