DTI: Paracetamol supply expected to ‘normalize’ as drugstores replenish inventory

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A drugstore in Quezon City puts up a list of unavailable over-the-counter medicines on Jan. 4, 2022 as supplies run short with people stacking up on common medicines for fever, cough and colds associated with COVID-19 sickness. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/01/10/20220104-covid-drugstore-md-230.jpg"/><figcaption>A drugstore in Quezon City puts up a list of unavailable over-the-counter medicines on Jan. 4, 2022 as supplies run short with people stacking up on common medicines for fever, cough and colds associated with COVID-19 sickness. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The supply of paracetamol, which can be used to treat mild COVID-19 symptoms, is expected to normalize after drugstores topped up their inventory, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said Monday. </p><p>Major pharmacies started replenishing their inventories of paracetamol and other over-the-counter drugs last Jan. 5, said Trade Assistant Secretary Ann Claire Cabochan. </p><p>“We were anticipating na over the weekend ay mag-normalize na yong situation kasi makakadating na ng distribution channels, iyong mga major drugstores po natin,” she said in a televised public briefing. </p><p>(We were anticipating that over the weekend, the situation would normalize because the drug would reach distribution channels, our major drugstores.) </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1889255" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div style="text-align:center"><em>Video courtesy of PTV    </em></div><p>“Overwhelming demand” for these drugs around the end of December led to a “temporary stockout” in some pharmacies, said Cabochan, head of DTI’s Consumer Protection Group.</p><p>“It is actually a problem of stockout. Hindi po siya (it is not a) supply problem,” she said, adding that one local manufacturer can produce nearly 60 million tablets in a month. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/04/22/no-shortage-of-paracetamol-drugs-for-flu-doh">No shortage of paracetamol, drugs for flu: DOH</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/06/22/production-capacity-of-ph-drug-makers-sufficient-dti-chief">Production capacity of PH drug makers &#x27;sufficient&#x27;: DTI chief</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Now that replenishment has been made and there is more than enough supply, we can say that manufacturers will continue to produce, as they have in the past,” added the official. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/07/22/covid-home-care-what-medicines-to-take-for-mild-symptoms">COVID home care: What medicines to take for mild symptoms</a></li></ul><p>The Philippines reported a record number of 28,707 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, raising the country&#x27;s total to 2,965,447, the health department said.</p><p>Of the 128,114 active cases, 119,276 are mild and 4,213 are asymptomatic. The rest are critical (309), severe (1,465), and moderate (2,851).</p><p>Another 15 people died from COVID-19, the agency added, bringing the total death toll to 52,150.</p><div><strong>— With a report from Reuters</strong></div>

The supply of paracetamol is expected to normalize after drugstores replenished their inventory, the DTI said. 

DTI: Paracetamol supply expected to ‘normalize’ as drugstores replenish inventory | ABS-CBN

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DTI: Paracetamol supply expected to ‘normalize’ as drugstores replenish inventory

DTI: Paracetamol supply expected to ‘normalize’ as drugstores replenish inventory

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 10, 2022 02:30 PM PHT

|

Updated Jan 10, 2022 02:59 PM PHT

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