National Priority List of Pediatric Drugs
The National Priority List of Pediatric Drugs is a list of medicinal ingredients that the Pediatric External Reference Group has identified to address areas of unmet pediatric needs in Canada.
The medicinal ingredients on the draft list fall under one of the following categories:
- not currently available in Canada
- not available in a child-friendly format
- not indicated for use in children
- not available in a child-friendly format and not indicated for use in children
The list includes line listings of ingredients and any applicable qualifiers. Qualifiers for medicinal ingredients that are not on the Canadian market are indicated by n/a (not applicable) in the table. A relevant qualifier is provided where the specific route of administration is relevant or where the medicinal ingredient exists in multiple formats and the identified need is particular.
Child-friendly drug formats are formulations that are more easily adjustable for pediatric dosing requirements. They often taste better than adult drugs and are easier to give to children. Some examples of child-friendly oral route drug formats include oral liquids, oral dispersible tablets and granules for suspension.
| Medicinal ingredient contained in drug | Qualifier |
|---|---|
| Drugs not currently available in Canada | |
| Albendazole | n/a |
| Chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) | n/a |
| Fish oil triglycerides | Emulsion, intravenous route, when recommended for treating parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis in pediatric patients |
| Glucarpidase | n/a |
| Griseofulvin | n/a |
| Ibuprofen lysine | Injection, for intravenous use |
| Sargramostim | n/a |
| Sodium benzoate, Sodium phenylacetate | In combination |
| Sulfadiazine | n/a |
| Sulthiame | n/a |
| Zonisamide | n/a |
| On-market drugs needing child-friendly formats only | |
| Cyclopentolate-Phenylephrine | In combination |
| Atomoxetine | Oral route |
| Baclofen | Oral route |
| Calcitriol | Oral route |
| Clobazam | Oral route |
| Dexamethasone | Oral route |
| Diazoxide | Oral route |
| Mercaptopurine | Oral route |
| Prednisolone | Oral route, high concentration |
| Rifampin | Intravenous route |
| Tacrolimus | Oral route |
| On-market drugs needing pediatric indications only | |
| Aripiprazole | When recommended for treating irritability associated with autism spectrum disorder or for treating Tourette's disorder |
| Brentuximab vedotin | When recommended for treating high-risk classical Hodgkin lymphoma |
| Fluoxetine | Pediatric indication |
| Rituximab | Pediatric indication |
| On-market drugs needing pediatric indications and child-friendly formats | |
| Domperidone | Oral route, pediatric indication |
| Escitalopram | Oral route, pediatric indication |
| Hydroxocobalamin | Intramuscular route, when recommended for treating conditions leading to Vitamin B 12 deficiency |
| Hydroxyurea | Oral route, when recommended for treating sickle cell disease |
| Midazolam | Nasal route, when recommended for treating acute seizure activity |
| Raltegravir | Oral route, extension of pediatric indication |
| Sildenafil | Oral route, pediatric indication |
| Sotalol | Oral route, pediatric indication |
| Spironolactone | Oral route, pediatric indication |
| Tofacitinib | Oral route, extension of pediatric indication |
| Ursodiol | Oral route, pediatric indication |