AHS begins rationing life saving drug

EDMONTON- Alberta Health Services is rationing a life-saving drug that’s now in short global supply after the manufacturer issued a recall.

Officials with A-H-S say the province had about a six-to-seven-week supply of injectable sodium bicarbonate when the manufacturer, Pfizer, told them on June 8th about a shortage.

Late last week, the company announced it was recalling two lots of vials of the drug due to the potential for microbial contamination, reducing the Alberta supply to just six to seven days.

The drug is commonly used to treat life-threatening situations when the blood becomes too acidic.