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.

Drug pills

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
LEVOFLOXACIN IN 5% DEXTROSE INJECTION PFIZER CANADA ULC Anticipated shortage 5MG Updated Report 2024-10-15 236630
DEFEROXAMINE MESYLATE FOR INJECTION PFIZER CANADA ULC Anticipated shortage 500MG Updated Report 2024-10-15 231893
DEFEROXAMINE MESYLATE FOR INJECTION PFIZER CANADA ULC Anticipated shortage 2G Updated Report 2024-10-15 234768
WELLBUTRIN XL BAUSCH HEALTH, CANADA INC. Actual shortage 150MG New Report 2024-10-15 240257
ALDARA P BAUSCH HEALTH, CANADA INC. Anticipated shortage 5% Updated Report 2024-10-15 237220
ZYCLARA BAUSCH HEALTH, CANADA INC. Anticipated shortage 3.75% Updated Report 2024-10-15 237210
CARBOLITH BAUSCH HEALTH, CANADA INC. Actual shortage 300MG Updated Report 2024-10-15 239782
RETIN-A BAUSCH HEALTH, CANADA INC. Actual shortage 0.05% Updated Report 2024-10-15 237217
MANNITOL INJECTION USP ICU MEDICAL CANADA INC Anticipated shortage 20% New Report 2024-10-15 240224
COSOPT PRESERVATIVE-FREE ELVIUM LIFE SCIENCES Actual shortage 5MG 20MG Updated Report 2024-10-15 239771

Discontinuation Reports

Brand name Company Name Status Strength Update Date Updated View Report
HUMALOG ELI LILLY CANADA INC To be discontinued 100UNIT Updated Report 2024-10-15 224347
TD ADSORBED SANOFI PASTEUR LIMITED Discontinued 5LF 2LF Updated Report 2024-10-15 206909
PEDIACEL SANOFI PASTEUR LIMITED To be discontinued 5MCG 20MCG 30MCG 10MCG 32UNIT 8UNIT 40UNIT 5LF 15LF 20MCG 3MCG Updated Report 2024-10-15 206912
VICTOZA NOVO NORDISK CANADA INC To be discontinued 6MG New Report 2024-10-15 240246
XULTOPHY NOVO NORDISK CANADA INC To be discontinued 3.6MG 100UNIT New Report 2024-10-15 240243