List Of Drugs For An Urgent Public Health Need

Health Canada maintains the List of Drugs for an Urgent Public Health Need to facilitate the importation and sale of essential medications during public health emergencies. This list includes detailed information such as the drug’s brand name, medicinal ingredients, dosage form, strength, route of administration, and identifying codes from the country where the drug was authorized. Additionally, it provides data on the foreign regulatory authority that approved the drug, the country of origin, the Canadian jurisdiction requesting the drug, the specific public health need addressed, the intended use, and the date of notification by a public health official. ​

For example, the drug Priftin (rifapentine) is listed for oral administration in tablet form (150 mg strength). It was authorized by the U.S. FDA and imported to address a tuberculosis crisis in Canada. The intended use is for the treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in combination with isoniazid for patients at high risk of progression to active disease. Notably, rifapentine has been identified by the U.S. FDA as containing nitrosamine impurities, a detail included to inform healthcare providers and patients of potential risks. ​

Inclusion on this list allows a drug to be imported and sold in the specified Canadian jurisdiction for one year. If not renewed, the drug’s eligibility expires, though Health Canada retains the discretion to remove drugs from the list at any time. This mechanism ensures that during urgent public health situations, Canadians have timely access to necessary medications that may not be otherwise available domestically.  

For more detailed information and to view the complete list, you can visit Health Canada’s official page: List of Drugs for an Urgent Public Health Need.