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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
CYKLOKAPRON 100 MG/ML | PFIZER CANADA ULC | Actual shortage | 100MG | Updated Report | 2023-12-02 | 212036 |
ACH-PREGABALIN | ACCORD HEALTHCARE INC | Resolved | 150MG | Updated Report | 2023-12-02 | 209753 |
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 |