Drug shortages in Canada: Information for consumers

On this page

• Information on drug shortages
• What we're doing
• What you can do

Information on drug shortages

A drug shortage is when there isn't enough supply of a drug to meet demand. A drug shortage may impact many people in Canada, including:

• patients
• parents
• caregivers
• health care providers

Shortages can be caused by many factors and can be hard to avoid in some cases. Some shortages last longer and are more complex than others. Because manufacturers have to report every time they can't fill all of their orders, not all of the shortages that are reported are cause for concern for consumers or patients. Most are successfully managed before they impact patients.

Since 2017, manufacturers must report shortages and discontinuations of certain drugs to Health Canada. This information is available on the drug shortage reporting website.

In some cases, a drug may be unavailable in a certain pharmacy or area but can be found elsewhere in Canada. These type of disruptions are not found in the reporting website as there is still enough supply in Canada to meet demand.

For more information, consult Helping Canadians deal with drug shortages.

What we're doing

Health Canada, doctors, pharmacists, manufacturers and distributors work hard to minimize the impact of shortages on the health and well-being of people in Canada.

Preventing and reducing the impacts of drug shortages is a responsibility shared between governments, industry and health care providers. We take a leadership role in this responsibility, helping all partners to work together.

We take a number of actions to help manage the impact of a drug shortage. One action we take is to work with manufacturers to arrange for the importation of drugs from other countries to help fill Canada's gap in supply. This helps improve access to supply until the Canadian drug is available again. We review each product to ensure that it's a safe and effective alternative for the Canadian drug that's in shortage.

For example, the exceptional importation of foreign-authorized glucagon has increased its supply in Canada while our domestic supply has been in critical shortage. Glucagon treats severe low blood sugar, which might occur in patients with diabetes.

Learn more about what we're doing to address drug shortages:

• Building resilience: Health Canada's plan to address health product shortages, 2024 to 2028
• Drug shortages in Canada: Fiscal year 2022 to 2023 in review

What you can do

If you think that your drug is in shortage you can check the list of drug supply notices, which provide information on shortages, such as:

• when a shortage started
• why a shortage took place
• when a shortage is expected to end
• what steps we're taking to resolve the shortage

You can also visit the drug shortage reporting website for more information.

If you have any questions on a drug shortage, speak with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to provide you with advice on options or alternatives if your medicine is in shortage.

DO

• Only buy what you need. We want to make sure that everyone has access to the medications they need.
• Before getting rid of any older medication that may be in shortage, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

DO NOT

• Obtain medications from unknown sources, such as online groups, social media, or other third parties.

Related links

• Canada’s regulations prevent drugs from being distributed outside the country if this could cause or worsen a shortage
• Drugs and medical devices
• Using medications safely