Health Canada is warning that adult dosage EpiPen auto-injectors could be hard to find on pharmacy shelves in coming weeks.
Drug-maker Pfizer Canada has blamed manufacturing issues for months of supply shortages of the EpiPen and EpiPen Jr. devices, which deliver emergency injections of epinephrine to people suffering serious allergic reactions.
The company issued a warning earlier this week that supplies of the 0.3 mg EpiPen could run out before a new shipment arrives in Canada sometime in late August.
The 0.15mg EpiPen Jr. injectors for children are expected to remain available, with supplies managed at a national level to keep stocks up.
There are no alternatives to the EpiPen available in Canada.
Health Canada has issued a reminder that EpiPens expire at the end of each month, so injectors with August expiry dates are good until Aug. 31.
The regulator has advised people to use expired EpiPens if that’s all they have on hand during an allergic episode, then call 911.