December 21, 2011: Health Canada is Working with Industry to Address Drug Shortages
Health Canada has recently announced efforts to address drug shortages. Because drug shortages have been identified as possible contributing factors in medication incidents, ISMP Canada is also sharing information about this important initiative. Health Canada is encouraging industry and associations of healthcare professionals to work toward establishing “a national, one-stop drug shortages monitoring and reporting system in 2012.”1 The posting of information on drug shortage websites is an important first step toward enhancing transparency about shortages to healthcare professionals and patients.For more information, please visit the Health Canada website at
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodpharma/activit/announce-annonce/shortage-rupture-eng.php.
To report a medication incident in which a drug shortage has been identified as a possible contributing factor, visit ISMP Canada’s website at
www.ismp-canada.org/err_index.htm.
Reference
1. Web info sheet on drug shortages. Ottawa (ON): Health Canada Drugs and Health Products [cited 2011 Dec 20]. Available from:
www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodpharma/activit/announce-annonce/shortage-rupture-eng.php
