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
MOUNJARO ELI LILLY CANADA INC Actual shortage 15MG Updated Report 2023-12-04 210464
IDARUBICIN PFIZER CANADA ULC Actual shortage 1MG Updated Report 2023-12-03 205354
XYLOCAINE 2% ASPEN PHARMACARE CANADA INC. Actual shortage 20MG Updated Report 2023-12-02 209396
SENSORCAINE ASPEN PHARMACARE CANADA INC. Actual shortage 5MG Updated Report 2023-12-02 209399
QUETIAPINE TABLETS ACCORD HEALTHCARE INC Actual shortage 25MG Updated Report 2023-12-02 212202
CEREBYX SEARCHLIGHT PHARMA INC Resolved 75MG Updated Report 2023-12-02 189469
DUTASTERIDE SANIS HEALTH INC Resolved 0.5MG Updated Report 2023-12-02 200468
POTASSIUM ACETATE INJECTION USP OMEGA LABORATORIES LIMITED Resolved 39.2% Updated Report 2023-12-02 204135
CUPRIMINE BAUSCH HEALTH, CANADA INC. Actual shortage 250MG Updated Report 2023-12-02 206596
EMLA CREAM ASPEN PHARMACARE CANADA INC. Actual shortage 2.5% 2.5% Updated Report 2023-12-02 209402

Discontinuation Reports

Brand name Company Name Status Strength Update Date Updated View Report
RIVA-LEVOFLOXACIN LABORATOIRE RIVA INC. Discontinued 250MG Updated Report 2023-12-02 212224
RIVA-LEVOFLOXACIN LABORATOIRE RIVA INC. Discontinued 750MG New Report 2023-12-01 212230
RIVA-LEVOFLOXACIN LABORATOIRE RIVA INC. Discontinued 500MG New Report 2023-12-01 212227
TAZORAC ALLERGAN INC Discontinued 0.05% Updated Report 2023-12-01 204564
STIEVA-A GLAXOSMITHKLINE INC Discontinued 0.025% Updated Report 2023-11-29 200920