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Date Published: 28/04/2026

Alicante pharmacies hit by paracetamol and ibuprofen shortages linked to Iran conflict

Supplies across the Valencian Community are largely stable but several well-known brands are out of stock

Shortages of paracetamol and ibuprofen have been confirmed across Alicante province, with the ongoing conflict in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupting the supply routes for the raw materials used to manufacture both medicines.

According to reports, up to eight types of ibuprofen and two paracetamol products are currently out of stock in the province, including children's and effervescent formats.

Spain's medicines regulator, AEMPS, has issued formal notices confirming the shortages, with one paracetamol product having been unavailable since March 25 and another since April 13, the latter with no confirmed restock date as yet.

For people living across the wider Valencian Community, though, the picture looks a little more reassuring. The Official College of Pharmacists (MICOF) said its members haven't reported widespread problems.

"Although two products from two different laboratories are unavailable, there are others that are supplying paracetamol," official sources explained, pointing to the more than 2,345 pharmacies across the community as a reason for cautious confidence.

The advice from pharmacists is straightforward enough: if your usual brand isn't on the shelf, ask. In many cases there are generics or alternative brands containing the same active ingredient that are still available. For higher-dose products like ibuprofen 600mg or paracetamol 1g in larger packs, a prescription is still required, but lower doses can be bought over the counter where stock allows.

Drug shortages are nothing new in European pharmacies and they rarely spiral into serious crises, but a shortage of something as everyday as paracetamol or ibuprofen is unusual, and worth keeping an eye on as the situation in the Middle East continues to develop.

Image: Freepik

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