Carbamazepine controlled release tablets in short supply: Notice

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Background

Carbamazepine is used to treat epilepsy, trigeminal neuralgia and bipolar disorders.

In Canada, carbamazepine is marketed in both controlled release (CR) and immediate release (IR) tablets.

The CR tablets are marketed by Sandoz Canada and Novartis Pharmaceuticals, which are both reporting shortages. Sandoz’s shortage is due to manufacturing issues and Novartis’ shortage is caused by an increase in demand as a result.

We expect that shortages will last until the end of August for the 400-mg tablets and mid-September for the 200-mg tablets. In the meantime, CR tablets will not always be available at your local pharmacy.

The IR tablets are marketed by Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Teva Canada, Taro Pharmaceuticals and Mint Pharmaceuticals. These companies have confirmed they have supply and shortages are not anticipated.

What we’re doing

We recognize the importance of carbamazepine CR tablets for patients. Addressing this shortage is a top priority.

We're communicating with health care providers, provincial and territorial governments, and distributors to coordinate the sharing of information about this shortage.

Health care providers can access resources to help manage this shortage from the Canadian Pharmacists Association and the Canadian League Against Epilepsy:

We’re working with manufacturers and stakeholders to monitor the supply of carbamazepine CR tablets. We're also looking at how these products can be made more available.

What you can do

If you have any questions on the availability of carbamazepine CR tablets, speak with your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to offer other options if your medicine is not available.

You should always:

All drugs approved for sale in Canada have an 8-digit drug identification number (DIN). The DIN assures you that Health Canada has assessed a drug and considers it safe and effective when used as directed on the label. The DIN also provides a way to track adverse drug reactions.

Report any health product-related side effects or complaints to Health Canada.

Learn more about drug shortages in Canada and how Canadians can deal with drug shortages.

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