Health Canada’s special access programs: Most often requested drugs
Health care practitioners across Canada frequently request certain drugs through the Special Access Program (SAP) that are not available for sale in Canada. Here are the drugs that were most often requested, as well as those that have since received market authorization in 2025.
On this page
- About the list of special access drugs most often requested
- List of drugs most often requested
- Market authorizations for drugs previously requested
- Background on the Special Access Program
- Contact us
About the list of special access drugs most often requested
Health Canada receives about 12,000 requests each year through SAP. Most requests are for drugs already familiar to the program.
To promote openness, Health Canada publishes a list of the drugs most often accessed through SAP. The list shows the:
- number of requests leading to special access
- therapeutic areas they relate to
This information helps:
- provide insight into program requests
- potential market authorization holders identify unmet medical needs
- inform decisions about bringing these drugs to the Canadian market
Note:
- A drug on the list is not automatically available.
- Future requests are not guaranteed to be approved.
Manufacturers must not advertise unauthorized drugs accessed through SAP. Promotional activities directed to health care practitioners or the public are prohibited under section C.08.002 of the Food and Drug Regulations.
This list is updated every year to reflect current request patterns.
List of drugs most often requested
(January 1 to December 31, 2025)
| Product name | Number of requests accessed | Dosage form | Therapeutic category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solian (Amisulpride) | 673 | Tablets | Antipsychotics |
| Mvw products | 538 | Tablets, softgels, bottles | Vitamins |
| Lamprene (Clofazimine) | 536 | Capsules | Antimycobacterials |
| Apo-Cisapride (Cisapride Monohydrate) | 478 | Tablets | Propulsives |
| Calcort (Deflazacort) | 417 | Tablets | Corticosteroids for systemic use |
| Depakote Sprinkle Capsules (Divalproex Sodium) | 392 | Capsules | Antiepileptics |
| Nicorandil | 305 | Tablets | Vasodilators used in cardiac diseases |
| Avycaz (Ceftazidime-Avibactam) | 274 | Single-use vials | Antibacterials for systemic use |
| Mirvetuximab Soravtansine | 246 | Vials | Antineoplastic agents |
| Azactam (Aztreonam) | 228 | Single-use vials | Antibacterials for systemic use |
| Viramune (Nevirapine Hemihydrate) | 223 | Bottles | Antivirals for systemic use |
| Ilomedin (Iloprost Trometamol) | 210 | Ampoules | Antithrombotic agents |
| Valproate Sodium Injection | 205 | Vials | Antiepileptics |
| Brevital Sodium (Methohexital Sodium) | 191 | Multi-dose vials | Anesthetics |
| Pirtobrutinib | 182 | Tablets | Antineoplastic agents |
| Zonegran (Zonisamide) | 182 | Capsules | Antiepileptics |
| Dodecavit (Hydroxocobalamin Acetate) | 162 | Ampoules | Antianemic preparations |
| Tislelizumab | 147 | Vials | Antineoplastic agents |
| Zentel (Albendazole) | 146 | Tablets | Anthelmintics |
| Proglycem (Diazoxide) | 145 | Bottles | Drugs for treatment of hypoglycemia |
| Cefiderocol | 136 | Vials | Antibacterials for systemic use |
| Taloxa (Felbamate) | 132 | Tablets | Antiepileptics |
| Omegaven (fish oil) | 128 | Bottles | Total parenteral nutrition |
| Sirturo (Bedaquiline) | 127 | Tablets | Antimycobacterials |
| Doxy 100 (Doxycycline Hyclate) | 126 | Single-use vials | Antibacterials for systemic use |
| Nirogacestat | 123 | Tablets | Antineoplastic agents |
| Nulojix (Belatacept) | 121 | Single-use vials | Immunosuppressants |
| Ancobon (Flucytosine) | 120 | Capsules | Antimycotics for systemic use |
| Fintepla (Fenfluramine) | 117 | Bottles | Antiepileptics |
| Dekas Essential Liquid | 114 | Bottles | Vitamins |
| Renocis (Dmsa) | 101 | Vials | Diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals |
| Datopotamab Deruxtecan | 100 | Vials | Antineoplastic agents |
| Medicinal leeches | 94 | Pouches | Antithrombotic agents |
| Co-Trimoxazole (Sulfamethoxazole Trimethoprim) | 93 | Bottles | Antibacterials for systemic use |
| Dofetilide | 93 | Capsules | Cardiac therapy |
| Ospolot (Sulthiame) | 83 | Tablets | Antiepileptics |
| Etopophos (Etoposide Phosphate) | 78 | Single-use vials | Antineoplastic agents |
| Anticholium (Physostigmine Salicylate) | 75 | Ampoules | Ophthalmologicals |
| Axatilimab | 67 | Vials | Immunosuppressants |
| Leukine (Sargramostim Powder) | 67 | Single-use vials | Immunostimulants |
| Nicardipine Aguettant (Nicardipine Hydrochloride) | 67 | Vials | Calcium channel blockers |
| Sodium Phenylacetate and Sodium Benzoate | 62 | Single-use vials | Other alimentary tract and metabolism products |
| Pretomanid | 59 | Tablets | Antimycobacterials |
| Amphadase (Hyaluronidase Injection) | 57 | Single-use vials | Other hematological agents |
| Hyalase (Hyaluronidase) | 55 | Ampoules | Other hematological agents |
| Thiola (Tiopronin) | 51 | Tablets | Urologicals |
Market authorizations for drugs previously requested
The following drugs previously requested through SAP received Health Canada market authorization in 2025.
| Product name | Therapeutic category | Company name | Notice of compliance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altuviiio (Antihemophilic Factor Viii (Recombinant, Bdd), Fc-Vwf-Xten Fusion Protein) | Antihemorrhagics | Sanofi-Aventis Canada Inc | 2025-03-26 |
| Amivas-Artesunate (Artesunate) | Antiprotozoals | Amivas Ireland Ltd. | 2025-07-04 |
| Xofluza (Baloxavir Marboxil) | Antivirals for systemic use | Hoffmann-La Roche Limited | 2025-05-27 |
| Doxycycline For Injection Usp (Doxycycline Hyclate) | Antibacterials for systemic use | Sterimax Inc | 2025-10-28 |
| Andembry (Garadacimab) | Other hematological agents | Csl Behring Canada Inc | 2025-08-06 |
| Blenrep (Belantamab Mafodotin) | Antineoplastic agents | Glaxosmithkline Inc | 2025-07-18 |
| Itovebi (Inavolisib) | Antineoplastic agents | Hoffmann-La Roche Limited | 2025-02-14 |
| Fabhalta (Iptacopan Hydrochloride) | Immunosuppressants | Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc | 2025-01-06 |
| Lyvdelzi (Seladelpar Lysine) | Bile and liver therapy | Gilead Sciences Canada Inc | 2025-10-16 |
| Hepcludex (Bulevirtide Actetate) | Antivirals for systemic use | Gilead Sciences Canada Inc | 2025-08-08 |
| Skyclarys (Omaveloxolone) | Other nervous system drugs | Biogen Canada Inc | 2025-03-13 |
| Talzenna (Talazoparib) | Antineoplastic agents | Pfizer Canada Ulc | 2025-01-30 |
| Jaypirca (Pirtobrutinib) | Antineoplastic agents | Eli Lilly Canada Inc | 2025-10-17 |
| Rebyota (Fecal Microbiota) | Antidiarrheals, intestinal antiinflammatory/antiinfective agents | Ferring Inc | 2025-03-05 |
| Zynyz (Retifanlimab) | Antineoplastic agents | Incyte Corporation | 2025-02-06 |
| Qalsody (Tofersen) | Other nervous system drugs | Biogen Canada Inc | 2025-02-28 |
| Nduvra (Tapinarof) | Antipsoriatics | Organon Canada Inc. | 2025-09-03 |
Every drug accessed through SAP indicates a patient had a serious or life-threatening medical emergency.
Access our database to learn more about these drugs.
Background on the Special Access Program
Health care practitioners can request drugs that are not sold in Canada through SAP. These drugs include pharmaceutical, biologic and radiopharmaceutical products. Access is allowed under sections C.08.010 and C.08.011 of the Food and Drugs Regulations.
Requests for a SAP-listed drug must be for a medical emergency when treating a patient with a serious or life-threatening condition and when conventional therapies:
- have failed
- are unsuitable or
- are not available in Canada
Health care practitioners must provide details about the medical emergency and information on the drug’s use, safety and efficacy. Health Canada reviews each SAP request individually. Decisions are based on the:
- nature of the medical emergency
- availability of marketed alternatives and
- information provided about the drug’s use, safety and efficacy
Drugs accessed through SAP do not go through the same benefit-risk assessment as new drug submissions or clinical trial applications. Authorization does not mean the drug is proven safe, effective or high quality. Whenever possible, unauthorized drugs should be accessed through clinical trials.
Contact us
Special Access Program
Pharmaceutical Drugs Directorate
Email: sapd-pasm@hc-sc.gc.ca