Pharmacies Limit Children’s Pain Medication Purchases

Over the past several months, parents, patients, and pediatric providers have been drowning in elevated rates of COVID, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection — coined the tripledemic. These rising rates are attributed to various reasons and have left children’s hospitals at capacity. Many parents have turned to over-the-counter remedies to alleviate symptoms; however, that option may be even more limited as pharmacies have begun to limit children’s pain medication purchases.

Even though there are available treatments and prevention tactics for other viral infections such as COVID-19 and influenza, RSV and many other viral infections are not treatable. For pediatric populations, parents and providers are left to treat symptoms until the virus runs its course. Considering that the CDC reported a 53% greater RSV infection rate this year than in previous years, there has been an increased demand for medications to alleviate symptoms, such as Tylenol and Motrin.

With high demands, manufacturers have faced supply chain issues and struggled to keep up. According to a Healthline article from earlier this month, consumers and government organizations have seen depleted numbers of cold and flu medications on the shelf. While fueled predominantly by the high demand for these medications, many people are over-buying medications in preparation for the rest of the season.

To prevent further depletion of resources, many pharmacies, including Walgreens and CVS, have placed a limit on purchasing children’s pain relief medication. In a CNN article, writers note that CVS only allows two children’s pain relief items to be bought in each in-person or online purchase. Walgreens has a slightly more open protocol, allowing unlimited in-store purchases and a maximum online purchase of six items. These restrictions only apply to over-the-counter products.

In a statement to CNN, Walgreens commented that these supplier challenges span the entire nation. Current protocols are only an attempt to improve availability and equitable access across all pediatric populations. Despite these protocols, many anticipate continued shortages. As the tripledemic progresses, public health officials and industry leaders will continue to monitor the availability of these medications.