Tier 3 drug shortages

Tier 3 shortages are those that have the greatest potential impact on Canada's drug supply and health care system. Medical necessity and low availability of alternative supplies, ingredients or therapies determine the degree of impact.

The Tier Assignment Committee (TAC) includes federal, provincial and territorial governments, health care professionals and industry stakeholders. TAC makes recommendations on the tier assignment of actual and anticipated drug shortages based on:

Drugs in or at risk of Tier 3 shortages may be eligible for exceptional importation and sale. For more information, please consult the Guide to the exceptional importation and sale of drugs in response to drug shortages (GUI-0148).

Drugs that are allowed to be imported and sold in order to mitigate a critical shortage are found on the List of drugs for exceptional importation and sale.

Drug (Active Ingredient) Date of Tier 3 Determination TAC Committee Membership Used in the treatment of COVID-19 and/or related conditions (Yes/No)
Dexrazoxane March 8, 2023 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies No
Nitroglycerin Spray 0.4 MG/ACT February 28, 2023 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Cardiovascular Society No
Ketamine February 23, 2023 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society No
Amoxicillin – Oral Suspension November 17, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Pharmacists Association, Canadian Paediatric Society No
Amoxicillin and Clavulanic Acid – Oral Suspension November 17, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Pharmacists Association, Canadian Paediatric Society No
Haloperidol Tablets - 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg November 9, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Psychiatric Association No
Ophthalmic Steroids - Prednisolone 1% October 14, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Ophthalmological Society No
Ophthalmic Steroids - Dexamethasone 0.1% October 14, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Ophthalmological Society No
Ophthalmic Steroids- Difluprednate 0.05% October 14, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Ophthalmological Society No
Thallium, Thallous Chloride TI-201 Injection October 7, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Association of Nuclear Medicine No
Fludarabine Phosphate, 10 mg, Oral Tablets September 14, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies No
Vigabatrin, powder for oral solution August 26, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian League Against Epilepsy No
Acetylcysteine Solution November 15, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Association of Poison Centres and Clinical Toxicology No
Acetylcholine Chloride - Miochol E January 24, 2023 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Ophthalmological Society No
Asparaginase - Erwinase July 16, 2020 Health Canada, Ontario Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Association of Provincial Cancer Agencies No
Physiologic Irrigating Solution – BSS Sterile Irrigating Solution February 2, 2023 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Ophthalmological Society No
Calcitonin - Calcimar January 30, 2023 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Rheumatology Association, Canadian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism No
Carbachol - Miostat January 24, 2023 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Ophthalmological Society No
Cefprozil, Cefuroxime, Cephalexin, Azithromycin, Clarithromycin – Oral Suspension December 5, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, the Canadian Pharmacists Association, and the Canadian Paediatric Society No
Eptifibatide Injection November 14, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia - Ministry of Health representing Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation No
Hydralazine Injection November 26, 2021 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association,
Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Cardiovascular Society
No
Methotrimeprazine Hydrochloride Injection February 17, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association,
Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians
No
Lorazepam Injection 4 mg/mL September 20, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Canadian Psychiatric Association Yes
Eluxadoline - Viberzi September 20, 2022 Health Canada, British Columbia Ministry of Health representing the Provincial and Territorial Drug Shortage Task Team, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Pharmacists Association, Ontario Association of Gastroenterology No
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