Tablets and capsules of medicines. Contributed photo
MANILA, Philippines — There is no need to panic, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday amid the supposed “shortage” in the supply of a certain paracetamol brand and other medicines, saying alternatives are equally effective.
“Nagkaroon po tayo nitong insidente kung saan marami pong mga kababayan hindi makainom, makabili nitong gamot na branded na paracetamol,” Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said in an interview over Teleradyo.
(We have this incident wherein a lot of people cannot avail of this certain brand of paracetamol.)
Vergeire noted that a local pharmaceutical company said there has been a shortage of their brand of paracetamol but is immediately stocking up supply.
“Nagsabi sila na nagkaroon lang sila ng shortage ng supply ngunit pinupunuan na nila ngayon ang ating mga drug store, so hindi natin kailangan mag-panic, meron pa hong alternatibo na paracetamol brands na maaari po nating bilhin,” she went on. “Pare-pareho lang po ‘yan. Basta po meron tayong FDA (Food and Drug Administration) na registration na nai-evaluate na kapareho lang po yan, equally effective.”
(They said that they are experiencing a shortage of supply but is filling up drug stores with stock, so we don’t need to panic, there are other alternatives we can buy… They’re all the same. As long as it is registered with the FDA, which evaluated it is equally effective.)
Earlier, the DOH said there is “no ongoing shortage” of paracetamol and other medicines for flu-like symptoms in the country.
The DOH, however, cautioned against “hoarding, panic-buying or unnecessary purchases” of such products.