A popular medication on which the everyday lives of many Australians depend has gone from store shelves due to a worldwide scarcity of a key component.
Recently, it has been difficult to locate the popular heartburn and indigestion remedy Gaviscon at pharmacies and supermarkets Woolworths and Coles. According to news.com.au, this is due to a lack of a highly special kind of seaweed that is only farmed in Norway and is one of the primary components in Gaviscon.
Gaviscon said that there were many causes for the shortfall.
Poor weather conditions and low harvest yields have led to the shortfall, the business stated in a statement.
‘Only alginates generated from a certain species provide the exact properties required for use in the production of efficient heartburn and indigestion remedies such as Gaviscon.
We are carefully working with our supply partners to secure as much manufacturing as possible, and we will do our best to guarantee that our customers, patients, and healthcare professionals have access to the heartburn and indigestion therapy they rely on.
We recognize that this is a challenging circumstance, and we value your ongoing confidence at this unique moment. Customers may notice lower Gaviscon availability in-store and online, and we are working closely with the supplier to ensure a regular supply flow,’ a Woolworths spokesman said.
Due to worldwide supply chain problems, we are experiencing shortages of some Gaviscon products, according to a Coles spokeswoman. We continue to monitor supplies and collaborate with our suppliers to enhance availability.’
Heartburn and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) tend to increase with age and are a common complaint among males over the age of 30.