5.24 Drug Shortages
Last updated on May 8, 2024General description
PharmaCare may decide to cover an alternative drug when a benefit is in short supply. When a shortage ends, the alternative product returns to its former benefit status.
Policy details
Drug shortages occur when a manufacturer or distributor cannot supply enough of a drug to fill prescriptions. This could be due to manufacturing disruptions, shipping delays, shortages of the active pharmaceutical ingredient, sudden increases in demand, product discontinuations, and/or other factors.
PharmaCare may cover an alternative drug when a benefit is in short supply. Coverage for the alternative drug is often the same as for the drug in short supply – i.e., covered under the same plan(s), with the same Special Authority requirements.
Sometimes the alternative is a foreign-labelled product. In this case, PharmaCare assigns a PIN, as the drug will not have a DIN.
PharmaCare may cover a compounded drug as the alternative drug, on a last-resort basis.
If PharmaCare is not covering an alternative drug to mitigate a shortage
PharmaCare often covers several versions of a drug. If one supplier’s version runs short, prescribers and pharmacists can consult the Low Cost Alternative program for another version.
If an adaptation is not possible, patients may need to discuss a different treatment with a health care provider.
Where to find BC PharmaCare drug shortages information, including covered alternatives
PharmaCare’s Drug shortages web page contains essential information about drug shortages, including covered alternatives.
- The Current Drug Shortages List (xls) provides details about PharmaCare benefits that are in short supply, alternatives that PharmaCare is covering, including compounds, and Special Authority requirements. The list does not include drugs used in hospitals
- The Resolved Shortages List (xls) provides details about drug shortages that have ended
- The Drug Shortage Lists User Guide (PDF, 516KB) provides tips for navigating the above files
Resources
- Drug shortages web page – includes the Current and Resolved drug shortages lists