Adel pharmacy compounds medicine to combat children’s Tylenol shortage

ADEL, Iowa (KCCI) - An Iowa pharmacy came up with a plan to battle the shortage of children’s medicines seen across the country, KCCI’s Kayla James reported.

Sumpter Pharmacy in Adel is providing the children’s Tylenol that’s hard to find on its shelves and shelves of stores and pharmacies nationwide. The pharmacy team is going back to what they call “old school” methods by compounding acetaminophen, which is commonly known as Tylenol.

“The reason why there’s a shortage for children is because there’s a shortage of liquid of the Tylenol and Ibuprofen,” said Leslie Herron, a pharmacist and the owner of Sumpter pharmacy.

With empty shelves of her own, Herron says supplies have been out of stock nationwide for six weeks.

That’s why pharmacies — like Sumpter Pharmacy — have had to do what they can to provide for kids and families in need.

The Food and Drug Administration describes compounding as the process involving combining, mixing, or altering ingredients to create medication for an individual patient. At Sumpter Pharmacy, people need to see pharmacists for this process.

“What we’re doing is more for kids that are sick or households with sick children,” Herron said.

Herron says the expiration date on what her team compounds isn’t as long as commercially manufactured products, but it does the job.

That’s a good thing because while RSV and flu cases appear to have slowed down, Herron says she wouldn’t be surprised if cases increase now that kids are back in school.

“Before Christmas break, we were having 10-12 rapid strep tests be positive a day,” Herron said.

With the exception of RSV, Sumpter Pharmacy is treating people on-site for flu, strep, and more. Herron says they do this so families don’t have to wait as long as they would at an urgent care or other health care facility.

For families who do go to health care providers and who are told to seek children’s Tylenol but can’t find it, Herron says to check around--because other pharmacies may be compounding, too.

“You’re going to be better off with something that a professional has prepared versus something you try to do at home,” Herron said.

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