High demand for over-the-counter flu and cold medications such as children's Tylenol, cough syrup and Motrin are leading to nationwide shortages, CBS affiliate WFMY reported Dec. 7.
Unlike other drug shortages, these come as a result of demand spiking early due to respiratory syncytial virus, flu and COVID-19, Dave Wuest, executive secretary of the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy, told Fox affiliate KVVU in a Dec. 8 report. Some of the shortages can also be traced to production issues.
"What we've seen over the past years in many different industries [including] the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, there's been a consolidation," Wuest said. "You used to have many more people making it, and now it's less people making more of it. So when you lose one of those, it can be dire onto the system."
Cough syrup, Motrin and Tylenol are only some of many common flu drug shortages plaguing the country. Tamiflu and its generic, oseltamivir, are also in short supply.