Faced with an increase in demand, a shortage of Doliprane is to be feared in certain pharmacies. Fortunately, this drug can easily be replaced.
If you live in the Grand Est, then you may have noticed the shortage of Doliprane that several pharmacies in the region are experiencing. Faced with a particularly high demand, the Sanofi laboratory is forced to ration its requests. And this drop in supply can impact customers, fortunately, it is possible to swap Doliprane with other drugs.
A seemingly temporary shortage
But why is Doliprane starting to run out in some pharmacies? The culprit is unsurprisingly the Covid-19. At the microphone ofEurope 1Christian Barth, vice-president of the regional council of the order of pharmacists of the Grand Est explained:
“This shortage is of course linked to the Covid epidemic. which is still rife and the seasonal pathologies which are also present, such as the flu and other colds”.
This winter, the Covid-19 caused many symptoms (headaches, fever, etc.) and the cases of contamination were high, which explains why customers rushed to pharmacies to obtain one of these famous yellow boxes. Result : several forms of Doliprane, such as Liquiz and 1000mg capsules were sold out.
Sanofi, the manufacturer of the precious drug, struggled to honor all of its deliveries and was even forced to deliver only 50% of its products in extreme cases. But then, how to circumvent this temporary shortage?
Efferalgan, Dafalgan… other medicines contain paracetamol
Doliprane is the best-selling drug in France. Its secret ingredient? Paracetamol, this analgesic particularly effective in relieving pain. But this active ingredient is also present in drugs sold by Sanofi’s competitors. This is the case for example of Efferalgan, Dafalgan or Claradol.
These do not have the same aura as Doliprane but also contain paracetamol: at identical dosage, the effects will therefore be identical. As with Doliprane, however, remember not to exceed the maximum recommended dose, which is one gram per dose, and a total of three doses per day at most.
Finally, to calm a pain such as a headache, it is also possible to opt for aspirin or another anti-inflammatory. But these drugs, although very effective, do not work in the same way as Doliprane and are contraindicated in several cases (pregnant woman, ulcer, hemophilia, etc.). If you are used to taking Doliprane but you cannot find this product near you, it is therefore best to opt for another medicine containing paracetamol, or to seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist..