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

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!!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
RETIN-A BAUSCH HEALTH, CANADA INC. Actual shortage 0.05% Updated Report 2024-03-28 222127
RETIN-A BAUSCH HEALTH, CANADA INC. Actual shortage 0.025% Updated Report 2024-03-28 220170
UROMITEXAN BAXTER CORPORATION Actual shortage 100MG Updated Report 2024-03-28 221775
UROMITEXAN BAXTER CORPORATION Actual shortage 100MG Updated Report 2024-03-28 221778
PROCTOFOAM-HC DUCHESNAY INC Actual shortage 1% 1% Updated Report 2024-03-28 158393
ACT METHYLPHENIDATE ER TEVA CANADA LIMITED Anticipated shortage 18MG New Report 2024-03-28 223862
TEVA-TADALAFIL TEVA CANADA LIMITED Anticipated shortage 5MG New Report 2024-03-28 223859
TEVA-BUPROPION XL TEVA CANADA LIMITED Actual shortage 300MG New Report 2024-03-28 223856
TEVA-CANDESARTAN TEVA CANADA LIMITED Actual shortage 32MG New Report 2024-03-28 223853
TEVA-EZETIMIBE TEVA CANADA LIMITED Actual shortage 10MG New Report 2024-03-28 223850

Discontinuation Reports

Brand name Company Name Status Strength Update Date Updated View Report
FLAGYL SANOFI-AVENTIS CANADA INC To be discontinued 10% New Report 2024-03-28 223877
ISENTRESS MERCK CANADA INC To be discontinued 100MG Updated Report 2024-03-27 204160
REPATHA AMGEN CANADA INC To be discontinued 120MG New Report 2024-03-26 223420
PHENYLEPHRINE HYDROCHLORIDE INJECTION USP STERIMAX INC To be discontinued 10MG New Report 2024-03-22 223145
PHENYLEPHRINE HYDROCHLORIDE INJECTION USP STERIMAX INC To be discontinued 10MG New Report 2024-03-22 223140