Mucinex in short supply around the Tulsa area

Pharmacists says the demand for the medicine, Mucinex is up now that we're in the season of coughing and sneezing. <br/><br/>The over-the-counter drug clears up congestion. Mucinex has been flying

Monday, January 30th 2006, 10:27 am

By: News On 6

Pharmacists says the demand for the medicine, Mucinex is up now that we're in the season of coughing and sneezing.

The over-the-counter drug clears up congestion. Mucinex has been flying off the shelves, which means several Green Country pharmacies are in short supply.

News on 6 anchor Terry Hood says we checked with Walgreenâ€™s and Mays Drug. They say they have Mucinex in stock, for now.

Kathy Campbell at Medicap Pharmacy in Owasso got a delivery Monday. Just four boxes. She says she can sell that much in one day.

Campbell keeps other versions of the drug with the same active ingredients on hand because she never knows when her supply of Mucinex may dry up. "From a pharmacist standpoint, it's not surprising at all. It's just that time of year, coupled with a very heavy cough and cold and upper-respiratory season. And so, you put that all together and you have a supply issue."

Across town, the Owasso Medical Center Pharmacy is down to its last box of twenty. Pharmacists there sold their last 100-count container earlier Monday. They try to order more every day. Their latest delivery receipt said Mucinex was unavailable, and what supply they had was being allocated by the manufacturer.

Even the nation's largest retailer, Wal-Mart is having problems keeping the drug on the shelves.