Top Senator Says FDA to Take Action on ‘Shortages’ of Children’s Drugs

Signage outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Md., on Aug. 29, 2020. Andrew Kelly/Reuters

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action on shortages of children’s medication reported across the United States.

“Today, I am urging … the Federal Drug Administration to investigate the shortages and consider several actions to reduce those shortages,” Schumer said in a Manhattan news conference. “These shortages are temporary; they are supply chain shortages, but we need to alleviate them.”

The Senate leader was referring to reports of shortages of Tamiflu, amoxicillin, albuterol, and other medications. There have been reports of shortages of Children’s Tylenol, prompting parents to give their kids adult versions of the over-the-counter drug, although manufacturer Johnson & Johnson said there are no widespread shortages as of now.

Those shortages have likely been caused because of high demand amid an increase in influenza and respiratory syncytial virus among children this year.

“The spot shortages are becoming serious problems for parents, caregivers, so we’re asking the FDA to investigate the problems locally and nationally and determine what official action they will take,” Schumer said. “I’ve been talking with many young parents who have been going from uptown, downtown, east, west for Children’s Tylenol. They can’t keep that up,” he added.

Schumer continued, “The bottom line here is that kids should not have medications like Tylenol, Robitussin, Motrin, and more on their Christmas lists.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks at a press conference on the Senate Democrats expanded majority for the next 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington on Dec. 7, 2022. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens this week both moved to limit the purchase of ibuprofen and acetaminophen owing to short supply and high demand. CVS said it is limiting shoppers to two products each and Walgreens is limiting online orders to six products each.

“Due to increased demand and various supplier challenges, over-the-counter pediatric fever-reducing products are seeing constraints across the country,” Walgreens told news outlets. “In an effort to help support availability and avoid excess purchases, we put into effect an online-only purchase limit of six per online transaction for all over-the-counter pediatric fever reducers.”

And CVS confirmed that “there is currently a two (2) product limit on all children’s pain relief products at all CVS Pharmacy locations and cvs.com,” and “we’re committed to meeting our customers’ needs and are working with our suppliers to ensure continued access to these items.”

Reasons for Shortage

Doctors have reported an unusually fast start to the annual U.S. flu season, plus a spike in other respiratory illnesses, created a surge in demand for fever relievers and other products people can buy without a prescription.

“There are more sick kids at this time of year than we have seen in the past couple years,” said Dr. Shannon Dillon, a pediatrician at Riley Children’s Health in Indianapolis.

Experts say that’s the main factor behind the shortages.

“At this point, it’s more like toilet paper at the beginning of the [COVID-19] pandemic,” Dillon said “You just have to look in the right place at the right time.”

Doctors also caution that fevers don’t always have to be treated. They are a body’s natural defense against infection, and they make it hard for a virus to replicate.

Dillon noted, for instance, that a fever may not be intrinsically harmful to older children. However, parents should take a newborn under 2 months old to the doctor if the child has a fever of 100.4 degrees or more. And doctors say any child with a fever should be monitored for behavior changes.

Extra Strength Tylenol is displayed in a drugstore in Washington, on July 5, 2006. Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

Instead of medicine, consider giving the child a bath in lukewarm water. Cold water makes the body shiver, which can actually raise the temperature.

Put fans in the child’s room or set up a cool mist humidifier to help their lungs.

Also, two teaspoons of honey can help control coughs in children older than a year. Avoid using honey for young children because it carries a risk of infant botulism.

In recent days, meanwhile, some doctors have issued warnings to parents about giving adult Tylenol or other medication in light of the shortages.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.