It is a small pink box well known to parents. But lately it’s been getting harder and harder to get your hands on it. Indeed, the Doliprane 2.4%, used in case of fever and pain in children, is missing in many pharmacy departments. At the end of November, the Minister of Health, François Braun, wanted to reassure parents: stocks should be back “in the coming weeks”. In the meantime, there are several alternatives.

Let’s start by recalling that Dolipraneshould not be administered routinely. A child with a temperature of 38.2°C, a very well tolerated fever and not many other symptoms does not necessarily need paracetamol, reminds Dr Perrine Ang, pediatrician, to our colleagues at 20 minutes (source 1). And to indicate:In this case, we can just wait for it to pass“.

On the other hand, if the fever sets in, rises quickly and is associated with aches or headaches… Paracetamol is essential! Parents who cannot find it in pharmacies can opt for two effective alternatives: Dafalgan or theEfferalgan. These two drugs are available in syrup, stick, or suppository form. Children over 12 kg can also take them in sachets. Always ask your pharmacist for advice because some medications, such as ibuprofen, should be used with caution.

As for the parents who would have the idea of ​​cutting Doliprane for adults in order to give it to their children, the pediatrician is formal: “I do not advise parents to do that”. While this is not a problem for preteens and teenagers, the consequences of an overdose in babies and young children can be dramatic. Exit then, the tweaks of the type “I cut my Doliprane in half then in two again”, insists the expert.

Social movements at Sanofi, tensions over glass bottles, triple epidemic … Questioned on Tuesday December 6 by our colleagues from franceinfo (source 2), Pierre-Olivier Variot, president of the Union of Unions of Community Pharmacists (USPO ) was concerned about the lack of civility of some people. “All classes of drugs are out of stock, from antidiabetics to anticancer drugs, including antihypertensives and analgesics) […] Let’s not stock up and allow the whole population to have these drugs!“.