As pharmacists, we must be empowered to act in the face of Canada’s painkiller shortage

A prescription pill bottle containing oxycodone and acetaminophen. (Graeme Roy/The Canadian Press)

Associate Professor Mina Tadrous and Peter Zhang, PhD student — Associate Professor Mina Tadrous (left) with Peter Zhang, a hospital pharmacist at Southlake Regional Health Centre and PhD student at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, say that Canada should let pharmacists act independently during shortages to ensure timely access and ease the burden on physicians.

Canada is facing a shortage of Tylenol with oxycodone or codeine, and it’s left health professionals scrambling to fill gaps in care. Among patients who rely on these commonly prescribed pain medications for relief, there is real anxiety as to whether their needs will be met when supplies run out.

Amid the increasing economic uncertainty caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, drug shortages are a growing concern. Even before all the trade turbulence began, there were a total of 3,098 drug shortages in Canada, 15 per cent more than there were in the previous year.

Gaps in medication supply have now reached historic levels, and pharmacists are often health care’s first line of defence.

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