Alberta Health: The $49 Million Turkish Tylenol Fiasco Finally Resolved

EDMONTON, AB — A controversial $70 million medication deal from 2022 has finally reached its end, with Alberta Health Services donating roughly 1.4 million bottles of unused Turkish children's pain medication after they sat in storage for nearly two years.

The province purchased 5 million bottles of acetaminophen and ibuprofen from Turkey-based MHCare Medical in 2022 during a national shortage. Health Canada approved only 1.5 million bottles—worth $21 million—leaving a $49 million credit outstanding with the supplier.

The Safety Concerns That Stopped Distribution

By July 2023, AHS instructed hospitals to stop using the Parol brand acetaminophen entirely. Health officials flagged serious risks: the medication's thicker consistency could clog feeding tubes in infants, and its formulation raised concerns about measuring errors. Approximately 1.4 million approved bottles never made it to patients.

Those bottles have been sitting in provincial storage since spring 2023.

The Donation Deal

In June 2025, AHS reached an agreement with Health International Partners of Canada to donate the unused stockpile. Kristi Bland, an AHS spokesperson, confirmed the donation wrapped up the province's handling of the surplus medication.

Premier Danielle Smith's government, which inherited the deal when she took office in October 2022, had explored sending the medication to Ukraine in March 2025 pending Health Canada approval. That plan never materialized.

The Investigation Trail

The procurement drew multiple investigations. Alberta's Auditor General Doug Wylie launched a probe into AHS contracting processes in February 2025, specifically examining the medication purchase.

An independent investigation by Judge Raymond Wyant, appointed March 3, 2025, concluded in October that Jitenda Prasad operated in a conflict of interest. Prasad brokered the MHCare deal for AHS while maintaining an association with the Turkish supplier.

The donation closes a chapter on one of Alberta's most scrutinized healthcare purchases, though questions about procurement oversight and the $49 million credit remain unanswered.