(Sean Leathong, Alexandra Mae Jones, CTV News) — Childbirth is one of the most painful experiences that human beings can go through, and more than half of these labours involve one specific intervention for pain: an injection called an epidural.
But according to Health Canada, epidural catheters are on their list of medical devices which are experiencing a shortage — something medical professionals are raising alarms about.
Currently, the supply chain constraints are affecting Saskatchewan, Alberta, New Brunswick, Manitoba and British Columbia to varying degrees, and while patients have not been affected yet, it could be only a matter of weeks for some regions. (…)