3.12 Drug and Product Identification Numbers

General Policy Description

Health Canada assigns a drug identification number (DIN) to all drug products.

If Health Canada has not assigned a DIN for a product, PharmaCare assigns a product identification number (PIN) that allows claims for the products to be properly adjudicated by PharmaNet.

Natural health products with a licence have been assessed by Health Canada and found to be safe, effective and of high quality under the recommended conditions of use and are assigned an eight-digit natural product number (NPN).

PharmaCare usually must assign PINs for compounded medications, investigational drugs, and natural health products that have not been assigned an NPN, and for non‑pharmaceuticals such as continuous glucose monitors and blood glucose test strips, prosthetics, orthotics, and ostomy supplies.

Policy Details

Pharmacists and medical device providers must use the appropriate PIN where required by PharmaCare product coverage policies.

Drug Use Evaluation (DUE) results are not returned for claims using PINs.

Procedures

Identifying a PIN

Product Identification Numbers (PINs) are used when no DIN is assigned to a product.

PharmaCare publishes, and regularly updates, lists of PINs for various categories of products on its website including:

• Publicly funded vaccines
• Opioid agonist therapy
• Compounded prescription products
• Nicotine replacement therapy products and smoking cessation prescription drugs
• Cystic fibrosis products
• Diabetes items:
  • continuous glucose monitors
  • blood glucose test strips
  • insulin pumps
  • insulin pump supplies
  • needles and syringes
• Miscellaneous products
• Ostomy supplies
• Prosthetics and orthotics

>> Need more assistance in determining the correct PIN? Call the PharmaNet Help Desk.