Paracetamol Shortage?

[LauraKsWhiteCoat]

I've been slowly stocking up on essentials for the past few months to cushion my family against a no deal Brexit, and one of my staples is cheap paracetamol. Given that the supermarkets will only allow you to buy two packets at a time for safety reasons, I try to buy some whenever I shop.

Recently the cheapest packets of 16 tablets have gone from 29p to 45p a packet. Last week, my local Tesco had barely any left. The shelf was empty but for a couple of packets of the more expensive brands.

I also noticed that they were out of things like own brand Immodium and Rehydration sachets, which I wanted to take on holiday. It's possible this is just due to high demand from summer holidaymakers, but it did worry me.

Has anyone else noticed a shortage of cheap Paracetamol or other medicines? I'm starting to feel a bit concerned.

[SimplySteveRedux]

@Plar

There's been no tesco own brand loperamide or paracetamol for ages here. At least 2 months of no loperamide. Branded versions were available but they are not something I have the budget for.

Ask the GP to px generic loperamide.

[moominmomma1234]

I work in an animal profession and we have been unable to source veterinary licensed paracetamol for a month or two. We are having to buy human licensed paracetamol instead. I am not sure what the cause of the shortage is. I will try and find out next week, but I do think veterinary products become out of stock before human ones do, so maybe there is a wider issue about to come to the surface

[timshelthechoice]

You're not allowed to ask questions like this, OP. It's 'scaremongering'.

[KittyBaxter]

The parrots ate ‘em all.

[bellinisurge]

@bernietaupinspen , I'm a general prepper who is always on these threads so, yes, I am just a person and not an oracle. However, as I notice this stuff more than most people because it's my thing, it doesn't hurt for me to comment that I don't see it as a current problem. Surely that is better than people getting carried away. Which inevitably results in the kind of nonsense that @TheElementsSong has identified in comic form.

[Janista]

Pure scaremongering

[Janista]

Pure scaremongering

[BlackeyedGruesome]

The Aussie is back.

[Whatthefoxgoingon]

16 paracetamol tablets only lasts 2 days at the full adult dose. So I have a small supply for when we get the flu etc.

[Whatthefoxgoingon]

Who wants to go out for paracetamol when you’re poorly? I haven’t noticed any shortages here yet.

[twofingerstoEverything]

see item 3 on this BBC article. Janista is talking out of his Australian-based arse it seems.

[Mistigri]

Why would a bloke in Australia post about Brexit on a U.K.-based parenting website? It is very curious behaviour.

[Hotchox]

I know little about the production of Paracetamol, but as a general point, simply saying, X is produced in the UK so Brexit won't affect it is simplifying things a bit. As long as everything in the supply-chain that leads to product X is produced in the UK, fair enough, but if some important ingredient is not readily available here and HAS to be imported, then prepare for shortages. Yes, no deal won't put a stop to anything being able to come into the country, but legally speaking there will be a LOT more work to be done checking everything at the port of entry, so we expect delays to the supply chain...

[prettybird]

Ignore him. He has nothing constructive to add - and just diverts attention from proper information sharing.

There are some a few genuine Leave voters who have constructive comments to make who are worth engaging with. He is not one of them.

[Mistigri]

simply saying, X is produced in the UK so Brexit won't affect it is simplifying things a bit.

As far as I can tell there is one U.K. based paracetamol producer but their website doesn't make it clear whether the active ingredient or the final product are produced in the U.K. AFAIK most generics are produced outside Europe.

I think it's a fair bet that most of the paracetamol consumed in the U.K. is not made there.

Given that one of the main obstacles to company stockpiling in the U.K. is lack of warehouse space, I imagine that it is quite helpful if part of the stockpile sits in people's bathroom cupboards. Only in the lunatic asylum formerly known as the U.K. could keeping a few packs of painkillers in your bathroom cabinet be considered unpatriotic.

[AnchorDownDeepBreath]

I'm pretty sure my purchase of 2 packets per week isn't driving the shortage or price increase

Of course it is; do you think you're the only person doing it? You're suddenly buying 2 more packs per week. If 9 other people are too; that's a 100% increase in demand. Added to the fact that a lot of medicines get more expensive in summer as they are bought by people to take on holiday or ease sunburn pain or hangovers etc, and it's easy to see why it runs out in some areas.

There's a growing theory that some supermarkets are "testing" different ordering patterns to prepare for Brexit; too.

And now everyone who has seen this thread could start stockpiling too; which means there could soon be a 500% increase in demand without very many people doing anything... and you can see how it cycles.

[bellinisurge]

@AnchorDownDeepBreath , in case you hadn't noticed, people on here have been talking about what the army is calling"forward purchasing " for months.
Get over yourself.

[prettybird]

So by Anchor's logic, prices will go down when people discover that their stockpile is not going to be required and can start drawing down from it

....I'd love for that to be the case

The ultimate irony is that all preppers would be delighted if their stockpiles were not required.

I've realised that I have "luxury" stuff in my stockpile that I'd forgotten about, to look forward to. Some home made duck confit (8 legs) that's been sitting in the fridge, well covered in goose fat, and two lots of summer pudding mixture (from the garden). Just need to keep some bread slices in the freezer so that I can complete the summer puddings when required

[Mistigri]

With my statistics hat on:

An estimate of U.K. paracetamol consumption is 6,300 tonnes per year which is equivalent to about 70 tablets per head of population, or roughly 14-15 billion tablets a year.

The idea that the OP buying an extra few packs of paracetamol will affect the price is just bonkers.

A lot of those 15 billion tablets will be imported. Given the known shortage of warehousing space, using people's bathroom cabinets to stock common medicines is sensible.

[BlackeyedGruesome]

Better to store somewhere cooler and dryer, but yes store at home. If everyone had a few packs at home it would save warehouse space for other prescription only drugs.

Repeat for extra tins of beans or veg or loo rolls...

[Cackleweb]

I have rheumatiod arthritis (a sometimes painful and crippling disease). On days when my low-dose methotrexate (DMARD) is having a holiday I use a variety of painkillers based on pain levels and activity. At the low end I reach from the TENS unit and at the top level, well, pass me the naproxen and zapain and please excuse me while I binge watch something daft on Netflix.

I have a lot of faith and trust in the NHS - I know my specialist nurse will do everything she can to keep me mobile and as pain free as possible.

Do I have a buffer of medication? Oh, yes. Rheumatiod arthritis has no rythme or reason, a flare-up can happen at anytime. You have painkillers on hand.

Have I increased my buffer because of Brexit? Yes.

[LauraKsWhiteCoat]

Well I did my Tesco shop today. The Paracetamol shelf was restocked, but there wasn't much there.

There were also lots of empty shelves, and the deli counter is now only open 4 days a week! Not sure if that's a reflection of crap trade in my area, or of Tesco giving up on us!

[Havanananana]

From The Pharmaceutical Journal (Royal Pharmaceutical Society)

90% of UK medicines are imported, and of that number 45% come from the EU. Businesses [are] unable to plan for uncertainty and [need] at least two years after the UK leaves the EU ... to work out a new supply system with the MHRA and others.

www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/news-and-analysis/news/brexit-could-hinder-medicines-supply-to-uk-mps-told/20204082.article?firstPass=false

[Doubletrouble99]

Plenty in my local Aldi yesterday.