[Report] Some Pharmacies Sold Out of Tylenol... "Barely Got 5 Packs After Visiting 3 Stores"

Some Pharmacies in Gangnam Area Temporarily Out of Tylenol
Additional Purchases Requested Due to Large Families and Overseas Travel
Pharmacists Say "Only Tylenol is Being Sought... Concerned About Supply Instability"

On the afternoon of the 3rd, citizens are buying cold medicine at a pharmacy in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Sehee] "I keep Tylenol as a staple medicine because of frequent headaches and stomachaches, but when I heard about the purchase restrictions, I rushed to the pharmacy. Local pharmacies limit purchases to no more than two bottles per person, so I went to three places and barely managed to get five bottles."

At around 1 p.m. on the 4th, Kim Myung-sook (45), whom we met at a pharmacy in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, said this. On that day, a reporter visited five pharmacies near Gangnam-gu and Seongbuk-gu, and except for one, all were enforcing a purchase limit of 1 to 2 bottles per person. As concerns about the unstable supply of cold medicine grow, pharmacies are adjusting their supply quantities, and citizens are showing a tendency to stock up in advance.

At 11:50 a.m., a pharmacy in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, was already temporarily out of Tylenol. Pharmacist Lee (31) said, "Tylenol is currently temporarily out of stock," adding, "It is supplied through wholesalers, but recently the supply has not been smooth, so we cannot even give one bottle per person." He added, "Even when we recommend suspensions that have the same effect, most people think it's a different medicine and do not buy it."

At a pharmacy in Samseong-dong, six people were lined up waiting to inquire about Tylenol. At another pharmacy about 600 meters away, four people bought Tylenol that morning. A pharmacy in Seongbuk-gu was managing Tylenol separately in bundles due to the high number of people seeking it.

Yoo Bok-soon (71) said, "I wanted to buy Tylenol because I needed it, but I was informed in advance that I could only buy two." Kim Mi-yeon (37), who is raising two children, said, "I am worried that cold medicine might face a crisis like masks did," adding, "As a mother raising kids, I felt I had to buy it in advance, so I purchased one bottle immediately."

Comprehensive cold medicine displayed at a pharmacy in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 3rd.

The industry overall is not currently in a situation where it cannot supply Tylenol and similar products. Even if representative products like Tylenol or Advil are unavailable, there are plenty of other products such as generic acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Also, since pharmacies are located all over the country, if a pharmacy visited does not have it, citizens reportedly move to nearby ones to purchase.

However, it is expected that demand for cold medicine and antipyretics will increase further. If sales quantities per person are limited, the anxiety that people will not be able to get medicine may lead to more hoarding. Especially since COVID-19, the overall supply of cold medicine, including Theraflu, has been unstable. Currently, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association is running a campaign recommending pharmacies nationwide to limit cold medicine sales to 3 to 5 days' worth per person.

Pharmacist Heo Ji-woong (40), who runs a pharmacy in Samseong-dong, said, "We sell only one bottle per person, but if someone says they have a large family or are going abroad, we sometimes give one more bottle," adding, "Many people absolutely trust Tylenol and only look for that." A pharmacy in Seongbuk-gu said, "Tylenol supply is unstable, so we sell a maximum of two bottles," and "The number of people looking for other cold medicines has doubled compared to before." Another pharmacy in Seongbuk-gu sells only one bottle per person. Especially on Fridays, just before the weekend, supply drops sharply, and they struggle to secure stock.

There are also criticisms that since purchases are not verified through ID, the effect of the restrictions is practically limited. Lee Dong-hyun (42), who runs a pharmacy in Pangyo, Gyeonggi-do, explained, "Recently, there have been many inquiries by phone about buying cold medicine," adding, "Except for Tylenol, other antipyretics are not sought after, so it is difficult to substitute with general cold medicine."

Meanwhile, pharmacies that receive large supplies have not been significantly affected. A pharmacy in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, was able to receive large supplies through direct transactions. A pharmacist working there said, "We bring in more than 400 units at once, so you can buy 20 at a time."