PANIC BUYING OF TYLENOL OVER VIRUS FEARS

[Anchor Lead]

Demand for Tylenol is soaring following the World Health Organization's recommendation against taking ibuprofen to relieve fever, one of the symptoms of COVID-19. There are even signs of panic buying, but medical experts say there is no need to stockpile on this drug.

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​One section of a shelf in this pharmacy is empty. It's where children's Tylenol for fever relief used to be displayed.

[Soundbite] EOM JEONG-SIN(PHARMACIST) : "This rarely happens. We don't get many pediatric patients, so the product was almost never sold out."

Tylenol for adults are almost sold out too. The situation is the same in other pharmacies. A wholesale site that supplies drugs to pharmacies across the nation. It shows there is no Tylenol for children and of certain dosage left in stock.

[Soundbite] (DISTRIBUTOR(VOICE MODIFIED)) : "We don't have any in stock. All distributors have sold out and we receive minimal amounts from the manufacturer."

The stockpiling of Tylenol was largely caused by the World Health Organization's announcement. Fever relievers generally come in two types - acetaminophen and ibuprofen. When WHO recommended against using ibuprofen on COVID-19 patients since it can worsen their symptoms and instead recommended acetaminophen the demand for the acetaminophen medication Tylenol spiked. The global body reversed its announcement two days later, after its recommendation was criticized as scientifically groundless, but the damage had already been done.

[Soundbite] PROF. SOH YUN-JO(SCHOOL OF PHARMACY, JEONBUK NATIONAL UNIV.) : "We couldn't find any scientific proof that supports the theory that ibuprofen worsens COVID-19 conditions."

Experts say there is no need to panic buy Tylenol since there are many other drugs that contain acetaminophen as the main ingredient and warned against taking too much acetaminophen since it can lead to liver damage.