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Powering school on science Victoria independent school first in Canada to adopt curriculum focused on science literacy. Page A19
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Drug shortage puts strain on pharmacies Six-month drug drought creating headaches for Victoria-area pharmacists Daniel Palmer News staff
The pause that refreshes
Greater Victoria pharmacists are dealing with an extraordinary scarcity in certain injectable drugs. While shortages are common occurrences in the healthcare industry, the supply of anesthetics, narcotic pain relievers and other sedatives has dwindled since the country’s largest manufacturer, Sandoz, reduced output at its sole Canadian plant in February. “It’s been an unusual or unique situation,” said Caren Heughan, Victoria pharmacist and B.C. Pharmacy Association board member. “But shortages are something we deal with on a regular basis.” Heughan, who works at Victoria Compounding Pharmacy, said pharmacists often work around shortages by finding alternative forms of the medication in oral or capsule formats. But in necessary cases, Heughan has been forced to contact drug manufacturers to access an emergency supply of hard-to-find medications. “The manufacturer does have a small amount of these medications on allocation so the pharmacist can sometimes request emergency quantity,” she said. The injectables shortage impacts hospitals as well, but the fear of postponed surgeries from a lack of anesthetics is unfounded, said VIHA spokeswoman Susan Evans. “There’s been a shortage of drugs for a number of months, going back to February,” she said. “It’s an issue that really lies with the supplier.” Sandoz Canada’s plant, located in Boucherville, Que., specializes in the production of specific injectable generic drugs.
Tristie Pugh takes a drink from the water fountain at Ross Bay Beach. Reporter Arnold Lim discovers Victoria’s outdoor water fountains offer a refreshing break for walkers, runners, and, surprisingly, dogs. See story, page A3.
PLEASE SEE: More drugs, Page A10
Arnold Lim/News staff