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On March 1, 2026, many diabetes medications, including insulin, metformin, glyburide, gliclazide, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin became fully covered under BC PharmaCare Plan NP (National Pharmacare plan). For a full list of benefits, refer to Plan NP diabetes medications.
| Generic name, brand name, available strengths | Health Canada adult starting dose (range)1 See monographs for titration details |
Approximate annual cost2 BC PharmaCare coverage |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| METFORMIN | ||||||||
| metformin GLUCOPHAGE, generics |
500, 850, 1000 mg tabs | 500 mg PO BID; 850 mg PO once daily (1500-2550 mg/day)3 | $20 to $45 | Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| metformin ER GLUMETZA, generics |
500, 1000 mg tabs | 1000 mg ER PO once daily (1000-2000 mg/day) | $520 to $1045 | Non-benefit | ||||
| SODIUM GLUCOSE COTRANSPORTER 2 INHIBITORS (SGLT2i) | ||||||||
| dapagliflozin FORXIGA, generics |
5, 10 mg tabs | 5 mg PO once daily (5-10 mg/day) | $270 | Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| dapagliflozin + metformin XIGDUO, generics |
5 + 850/1000 mg tabs | 1 tab PO BID | $765 | Non-benefit | ||||
| empagliflozin JARDIANCE |
10, 25 mg tabs | 10 mg PO once daily (10-25 mg/day) | $1140 | Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| empagliflozin + metformin SYNJARDY |
5 + 500/850/1000 mg tabs 12.5 + 500/850/1000 mg tabs |
1 tab PO BID | $1175 | |||||
| canagliflozin INVOKANA, generics |
100, 300 mg tabs | 100 mg PO once daily (100-300 mg/day) | $970 to $1010 | Non-benefit | ||||
| canagliflozin + metformin INVOKAMET |
50 + 500/1000 mg tabs 150 + 1000 mg tabs |
1 tab PO BID | $1310 | |||||
| GLUCAGON LIKE PEPTIDE-1 RECEPTOR AGONISTS (GLP1) | ||||||||
| semaglutide OZEMPIC, generics |
2 mg (0.25, 0.5 mg/dose) and 4 mg (1 mg/dose) multidose prefilled pens | 0.25 mg subcut once weekly for 4 weeks, then ↑ to 0.5 mg/week (may titrate every 4 weeks to a maximum dose of 2 mg/week) | $550 to $1100 ($85/pen) | Limited Coverage 2 mg dose: non-benefit |
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| semaglutide RYBELSUS |
1.5, 4, 9 mg tablets | 1.5 mg orally once daily on an empty stomach for 30 days, then ↑ to 4 mg/day (may ↑ to 9 mg/day after subsequent 30 days) | $2970 | Non-benefit | ||||
| dulaglutide TRULICITY |
0.75 mg and 1.5 mg single-dose prefilled pens |
0.75 mg subcut once weekly (may ↑ to 1.5 mg/week after 1 week, then may titrate every 4 weeks to a maximum dose of 4.5 mg/week) | $3450 to $3475 ($70/pen) | Non-benefit | ||||
| liraglutide VICTOZA |
18 mg multidose prefilled pens (0.6, 1.2, 1.8 mg/ dose) | 0.6 mg subcut once daily for 1 week, then ↑ to 1.2 mg/day (may ↑ to 1.8 mg/day after 1 week) | $1430 to $4280 ($120/pen) | Non-benefit | ||||
| GLUCAGON-DEPENDENT INSULINOTROPIC POLYPEPTIDE (GIP) & GLUCAGON-LIKE PEPTIDE-1 RECEPTOR AGONIST (GLP1) | ||||||||
| tirzepatide MOUNJARO |
10-60 mg multidose prefilled pens (2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 mg/dose) | 2.5 mg subcut once weekly for 4 weeks, then ↑ to 5 mg/week (may titrate every 4 weeks to a maximum dose of 15 mg/week) | $4215 to $7585 ($325 to $585/ pen) | Non-benefit | ||||
| BASAL INSULIN + GLP1 AGONIST FIXED-DOSE COMBINATIONS† | ||||||||
| insulin glargine + lixisenatide SOLIQUA |
300 units glargine + 100 mcg lixisenatide multidose prefilled pens (SoloSTAR) (100 units/mL + 33 mcg/mL) | 1 unit = 1 unit of glargine + 0.33 mcg lixisenatide (do not exceed 10 mcg lixisenatide /day initially); dosage range: 15-60 units insulin glargine + 5-20 mcg lixisenatide subcut/day within 1 hour prior to first meal)† | $800 to $3195 ($220/5 pens) | Non-benefit | ||||
| SULFONYLUREAS (SU) | ||||||||
| glyburide generics | 2.5, 5 mg tabs | 2.5 mg PO once daily > 60 years 5 mg PO once daily < 60 years (2.5-20 mg/day) |
$15 to $95 | Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| gliclazide generics | 80 mg tabs | 80 mg PO BID (80-320 mg/day) | $40 to $150 | Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| gliclazide MR DIAMICRON MR, generics |
30, 60 mg tabs | 30 mg MR PO once daily (30-120 mg/day) | $15 to $50 | |||||
| glimepiride generics | 1, 2, 4 mg tabs | 1 mg PO once daily (1-8 mg/day) | $325 to $830 | Non-benefit | ||||
| DIPEPTIDYL PEPTIDASE 4 INHIBITORS (DPP4i) | ||||||||
| linagliptin TRAJENTA |
5 mg tabs | 5 mg PO once daily (5 mg/day) | $980 | Limited Coverage (plan NP) | ||||
| linagliptin + metformin JENTADUETO |
2.5 + 500/850/1000 mg tabs | 1 tab PO BID | $1030 | |||||
| saxagliptin ONGLYZA, generics |
2.5, 5 mg tabs | 5 mg PO once daily (2.5-5 mg/day) | $500 to $600 | Limited Coverage (plan NP) | ||||
| alogliptin NESINA |
6.25, 12.5, 25 mg tabs | 25 mg PO once daily (6.25-25 mg/day) | $870 | Non-benefit | ||||
| alogliptin + metformin KAZANO |
12.5 + 500/850/1000 mg tabs | 1 tab PO BID | $945 | |||||
| sitagliptin JANUVIA, generics |
25, 50, 100 mg tabs | 100 mg PO once daily (25-100 mg/day) | $1100 | Non-benefit | ||||
| sitagliptin + metformin JANUMET, generics |
50 + 500/850/1000 mg tabs | 1 tab PO BID | $1195 | |||||
| sitagliptin + metformin XR JANUMET XR, generics |
50 + 500/1000 mg tabs 100 + 1000 mg tabs |
50 + 500/1000 mg: 2 XR tabs PO once daily 100 + 1000 mg: 1 XR tab PO once daily |
$1055 to $1195 | |||||
| MEGLITINIDE ANALOGUE | ||||||||
| repaglinide GLUCONORM, generics |
0.5, 1, 2 mg tabs | 0.5 mg PO TID (1.5-16 mg/day) | $250 to $770 | Non-benefit | ||||
| THIAZOLIDINEDIONES (TZD) | ||||||||
| pioglitazone generics | 15, 30, 45 mg tabs | 15-30 mg PO once daily (15-45 mg/day) | $185 to $390 | Limited Coverage (plan NP) | ||||
| rosiglitazone generics | 2, 4, 8 mg tabs | 4 mg PO once daily or 2 mg PO BID (4-8 mg/day) | $980 to $1400 | Non-benefit | ||||
| ALPHA-GLUCOSIDASE INHIBITOR | ||||||||
| acarbose generics | 50, 100 mg tabs | 50 mg PO once daily (150-300 mg/day) | $90 to $380 | Non-benefit | ||||
| tabs tablets; PO oral; BID twice a day; ER extended-release; subcut subcutaneous; MR modified-release; TID three times a day; 1Heath Canada Drug Product Database; 2McKesson Canada; 3US Food and Drug Administration Glucophage (metformin); †Health Canada Drug Product Monographs; Cost range: includes initial to maximum dose without mark-up or professional fee rounded up to the nearest $5 calculated from McKesson Canada July 27, 2026; 3US Food and Drug Administration Glucophage (metformin); †Basal insulin + GLP1 agonist combination: see Health Canada Drug Product Monographs for complex dosing instructions which take into account prior basal insulin dose | ||||||||
| Generic name, brand name, available strengths, dosage forms (see monographs for titration details)1 |
Approximate cost per pack | BC PharmaCare coverage2 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BASAL INSULINS | |||||||
| insulin NPH HUMULIN N NOVOLIN ge NPH |
100 units/mL vial (Novolin ge NPH) 100 units/mL cartridges, prefilled pen (Humulin N KwikPen) |
vial (10 mL): $30 cartridges (15 ml): $65 pen (15 mL): $65 |
Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| insulin glargine biosimilar BASAGLAR |
100 units/mL cartridges, prefilled pen (KwikPen) | cartridges (15 mL): $95 pen (15 mL): $95 |
Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| insulin glargine biosimilar SEMGLEE |
100 units/mL prefilled pen | pen (15 mL): $70 | |||||
| insulin glargine LANTUS |
100 units/mL vial, cartridges, prefilled pen (SoloSTAR) | vial (10 mL): $70 cartridges (15 mL): $105 pen (15 mL): $105 |
Non-benefit | ||||
| insulin glargine TOUJEO |
300 units/mL prefilled pens (SoloSTAR, DoubleSTAR) | SoloSTAR (15 mL): $145 DoubleSTAR (9 mL): $175 |
Non-benefit | ||||
| insulin degludec TRESIBA |
100 units/mL cartridges, prefilled pen (FlexTouch) 200 units/mL prefilled pen (FlexTouch) |
cartridges (15 mL): $130 pen (15 mL): $130 pen 200 (9 mL): $155 |
Non-benefit | ||||
| insulin icodec (once weekly) AWIQLI |
700 units/mL prefilled pen (FlexTouch) | pen (1.5 mL): $85 pen (3 ml): $170 |
Non-benefit | ||||
| BOLUS (PRANDIAL) INSULINS | |||||||
| insulin regular HUMULIN R NOVOLIN ge Toronto |
100 units/mL vial (Novolin ge Toronto) 100 units/mL cartridges, prefilled pen (Humulin R KwikPen) |
vial (10 mL): $30 cartridges (15 mL): $65 pen (15 mL): $70 |
Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| insulin regular basal + bolus action ENTUZITY |
500 units/mL prefilled pen (KwikPen) | pen (6 mL): $125 | Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| insulin aspart biosimilar TRURAPI KIRSTY |
100 units/mL vial, cartridges, prefilled pen (Trurapi SoloSTAR) 100 units/mL prefilled pen (Kirsty) |
vial (10 mL): $25 cartridges (15 mL): $50 pens (15 mL): $50 |
Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| insulin aspart NOVORAPID |
100 units/mL vial, cartridges | vial (10 mL): $40 cartridges (15 mL): $75 |
Non-benefit* | ||||
| insulin aspart FIASP |
100 units/mL vial, cartridges | vial (10 mL): $35 cartridges (15 mL): $75 |
Non-benefit | ||||
| insulin glulisine APIDRA |
100 units/mL vial, cartridges, prefilled pen (SoloSTAR) | vial (10 mL): $35 cartridges (15 mL): $65 pen (15 mL): $65 |
Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| insulin lispro biosimilar ADMELOG |
100 units/mL vial, cartridges, prefilled pen (SoloSTAR) | vial (10 mL): $25 cartridges (15 mL): $50 pen (15 mL): $50 |
Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| insulin lispro HUMALOG |
100 units/mL vial, cartridges, prefilled pens (KwikPen, Junior KwikPen) 200 units/mL prefilled pen (KwikPen) |
vial (10 mL): $45 cartridges (15 mL): $85 pens (15 mL): $85 to $155 |
Non-benefit | ||||
| BASAL + BOLUS INSULINS | |||||||
| insulin regular + NPH HUMULIN 30/70 NOVOLIN ge 30/70 |
100 units/mL vial (Novolin ge 30/70) 100 units/mL cartridges (Humulin 30/70) |
vial (10 mL): $30 cartridges (15 mL): $65 |
Regular benefit (plan NP) | ||||
| insulin aspart + aspart protamine NOVOMIX 30 |
100 units/mL cartridges | cartridges (15 mL): $70 | Non-benefit | ||||
| insulin lispro + lispro protamine HUMALOG MIX25 HUMALOG MIX50 |
100 units/mL cartridges, prefilled pens (KwikPen) | cartridges (15 mL): $85 pens (15 mL): $85 |
Non-benefit | ||||
|
NPH neutral protamine Hagedorn; 1Heath Canada Drug Product Database; 2Cost per 100 units without mark-up calculated from McKesson Canada July 27, 2026 (insulin is a Schedule II Professional Service Area retail drug and does not require a prescription); *for updated insulin coverage information and exceptions: see BC PharmaCare Biosimilars Initiative |
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