Kroger Is Limiting Children's Medicine Purchases Amid Shortages—Joining CVS, Rite Aid And Walgreens
If you're looking to stock up on pediatric medications amid this intense season of illness, your options are dwindling by the day.
On December 20, Kroger became the first major grocery chain to limit customer purchases of prescription drugs. The move follows similar purchase restrictions imposed by several drug stores, including CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens.
Kroger announced that it will no longer stock two pediatric drugs and four cold and flu medications per customer after experiencing shortages in the supply of children's pain relievers as well as children's cold and flu medications.
Meanwhile, Walgreens said in a statement that it is limiting online drug sales to six over-the-counter pediatric fever-reducing products per online transaction to prevent over-buying behavior.
CVS now has a two-item purchase limit on children's pain reliever products purchased in-store and online "to ensure equal access," while Rite Aid has a four-ounce grape-flavored bottle of Children's Tylenol. There is a four-item limit on online purchases.
The purchase ban comes at a time when the US is experiencing a spike in cases of the flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – known as a tripledemic.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the flu has caused at least 15 million illnesses, 150,000 hospitalizations, and 9300 deaths this season 30 of which are children.
The nation earlier this month reached its highest level of flu-related hospitalizations in 10 years while early November saw a two-year high in RSV cases with the disease particularly prevalent among children.
The Consumer Healthcare Products Association said this was the earliest peak in influenza we have seen in more than a decade, adding that sales of pediatric internal analgesics are up 65% compared to the same time last year.
Although there have been reports of shortages of children's drugs such as Tylenol, Advil and Motrin the organization said there is no widespread shortage in the US.