More paracetamol to hit the shelves

The supply of locally produced paracetamol could increase in the coming two weeks, but would only become stable after a certain period of time should people purchase the medicine to send them back to the mainland, said Coleman Cheung Tak-wing, vice chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Pharmacy.

Speaking on a radio program on Wednesday morning, Cheung said the city has seen a shortage of painkillers, and medications for cough and diarrheal as more people are buying them lately, along with a delay in resupply due to the holidays.

He reminded that citizens should not purchase parallel imported medication, and should make sure the medication they purchased is registered with local authorities.

Speaking on the same program, the President of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong, William Chui Chun-ming, said people should not hoard medicines, while keeping five days’ worth of medication is already enough.

If people are still feeling unwell after five days, they should seek medical attention, he added.

Meanwhile, Chui noted that the Hospital Authority has already procured another batch of paracetamol from local manufacturers, with the new batch set to supply the local market mid-this month.
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