Walgreens ends buy limits on children’s fever medicines

(AP) – Walgreens recently ended restrictions it placed on online purchases of children’s over-the-counter fever-reducing products.

The drugstore chain said it was able to lift restrictions on six products due to improved supply. The company did not place restrictions on in-store purchases.

Last month, both Walgreens and CVS Health restricted purchases of some over-the-counter pediatric drugs, citing supply problems. CVS Health has two product limits for all children’s pain relief products purchased at pharmacies or online.

A CVS Health spokesperson said Tuesday that restrictions remain on some pediatric drugs. She didn’t provide a timeframe for when it would end.

The unusually quick start of the annual U.S. flu season, along with a surge in other respiratory illnesses, has led to a surge in demand for fever-reducing medications and other products that can be purchased without a prescription.

Shortages of medicines like pediatric Tylenol varied across countries and sometimes even within communities.

Experts tracking drug shortages said in December that the problem could persist throughout the winter cold and flu season. But they pointed out that it won’t last as long as other recent shortages of baby formula and prescription drugs.

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