Drug shortages homepage
Welcome to Drug Shortages Canada, the website for mandatory reporting of drug shortages and discontinuations by market authorization holders. Anyone can search the database of shortage and discontinuation reports. More information can be found on the About & Resources Page.
Early reporting of shortages and discontinuations provides Health Canada, provincial/territorial governments, drug supply chain stakeholders, and health professionals details needed to help them monitor and manage supply. Shortages can be caused by many factors. Some last longer and are more complex than others. Because companies have to report every time they cannot fully meet demand, not all of the reports on this site are cause for concern at the patient level. Most are successfully managed before they impact patients.
The shortage database has a flag that indicates ones that are Tier 3 drug shortages, which are those that could potentially have the highest impact on Canada's drug supply and health care system. A Tier 3 designation is decided by the Tier Assignment Committee (TAC), composed of federal and provincial/territorial governments, healthcare professionals, and industry stakeholders.
Ensuring people can get the medicines they need is a top priority for Health Canada. Health Canada works closely with many partners to prevent shortages, mitigate their impacts, and help resolve them when they occur.
If you would like to know more about shortages like why they happen, how long they last, the actions being taken to reduce impacts on Canadians, and actions you can take if a drug you use is in shortage, please consult the information on Canada.ca.
Below are the newest shortage and discontinuation reports and updates to existing ones.
LEGEND
!!T3 denotes an actual Tier 3 shortage/discontinuation
!T3 denotes an anticipated Tier 3 shortage/discontinuation
Shortage Reports
Brand name | Company Name | Status | Strength | Update | Date Updated | View Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GABAPENTIN | SANIS HEALTH INC | Actual shortage | 300MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-21 | 220627 |
XYLOCAINE 2% WITH EPINEPHRINE 1:200000 | ASPEN PHARMACARE CANADA INC. | Actual shortage | 0.005MG 20MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-21 | 220855 |
XYLOCAINE 1% W EPINEPHRINE 1:100000 | ASPEN PHARMACARE CANADA INC. | Actual shortage | 0.01MG 10MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-21 | 220858 |
XYLOCAINE 2% W EPINEPHRINE 1:200000 | ASPEN PHARMACARE CANADA INC. | Actual shortage | 5MCG 20MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-21 | 222670 |
GD-DICLOFENAC/MISOPROSTOL 50 | GENMED A DIVISION OF PFIZER CANADA ULC | Actual shortage | 200MCG 50MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-21 | 220932 |
EMLA CREAM | ASPEN PHARMACARE CANADA INC. | Actual shortage | 2.5% 2.5% | Updated Report | 2024-05-21 | 222665 |
SANDOZ PRAVASTATIN TABLETS | SANDOZ CANADA INCORPORATED | Resolved | 20MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-18 | 224645 |
SANDOZ PRAVASTATIN TABLETS | SANDOZ CANADA INCORPORATED | Resolved | 40MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-18 | 224648 |
VISIPAQUE 270 | GE HEALTHCARE CANADA INC | Resolved | 550MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-18 | 227151 |
SANDOZ SENNA S | SANDOZ CANADA INCORPORATED | Resolved | 50MG 8.6MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-18 | 227201 |
Discontinuation Reports
Brand name | Company Name | Status | Strength | Update | Date Updated | View Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HEPARIN SODIUM INJECTION USP (MULTIDOSE VIAL-WITH PRESERVATIVE) | SANDOZ CANADA INCORPORATED | Discontinued | 10000UNIT | Updated Report | 2024-05-18 | 228249 |
SANDOZ PRAVASTATIN TABLETS | SANDOZ CANADA INCORPORATED | Discontinued | 20MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-18 | 228256 |
SANDOZ PRAVASTATIN TABLETS | SANDOZ CANADA INCORPORATED | Discontinued | 40MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-18 | 228263 |
SANDOZ SENNA S | SANDOZ CANADA INCORPORATED | Discontinued | 50MG 8.6MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-18 | 228268 |
SUPREFACT DEPOT 3 MONTHS | CHEPLAPHARM ARZNEIMITTEL GMBH | Discontinued | 9.45MG | Updated Report | 2024-05-17 | 228166 |