Some severely allergic Central Albertans are already feeling the effects of the latest EpiPen shortage.
Many Red Deer drug stores are already sold out, or have a limited supplies, of adult-dose auto-injectors containing epinephrine, a medication that keeps people who’ve been exposed to allergens from going into anaphylactic shock.
This week, a Mortar and Pesto Pharmacy customer with a serious bee-sting allergy was disappointed she couldn’t get the two EpiPens she needed to head out into the wilderness on the long weekend.
Since one EpiPen will work for only half an hour before emergency treatment is received, this woman needed two devices as she would be an hour or more away from a hospital, said pharmacist Jennifer Fookes.
But Fookes could only sell her one EpiPen. She explained a few must be kept on hand in case an emergencies arise. “I think (the client) had to change her plans when she couldn’t get two.”
Similar situations could be playing out across the country: Health Canada is warning people with severe allergies that EpiPens are in short supply after the company making them reported a glitch in the production of adult-dose emergency auto-injectors.
Pfizer Canada announced earlier this week adult doses night not be available at all in August — a peak month for people who need treatment for severe allergies. The drug manufacturer is working to resolve quality control problems at its St. Louis, Missouri, plant, where EpiPens are produced.
Since there are no other alternatives sold in Canada, pharmacists are advising people who have expired EpiPens at home to use them in an emergency. They might not kick in at full strength, but will have some power to fight the body’s response to allergens. Fookes then advises to immediately call 911.
“I’m definitely concerned about the shortage,” said Dev Aggarwal, the pharmacist and owner of West Park Pharmacy, who doesn’t have any adult-dose EpiPens left to sell.
He believes most severely allergic people likely have EpiPens at home. Those who don’t may want to talk to their pharmacist about supplying them with syringes filled with epinephrine. These would be more difficult to administer, he said, but could be kept in a hard case for emergency use.
EpiPens are among dozens of medication shortages in Canada. This week, opposition parties called on the federal government to take steps to address the problem.
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter