Table 1.
Drugs withdrawn for safety reasons from the Canadian market after Aug. 1, 2004
| Drug, generic (brand) name | Approval date or date listed in the Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties* | Withdrawal date† | Reason for withdrawal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rofecoxib (Vioxx) | Oct. 25, 1999 | Sept. 30, 2004 | Increased relative risk of cardiovascular events |
| Valdecoxib (Bextra) | Dec. 11, 2002 | Apr. 7, 2005 | Life-threatening skin reactions |
| Thioridazine (Mellaril) | 1959 | Sept. 30, 2005 | Cardiac dysrhythmias |
| Estradiol dienanthate–estradiol benzoate and testosterone enanthate (Climacteron) | 1961 | Oct. 22, 2005 | Endometrial hyperplasia/carcinoma |
| Gatifloxacin (Tequin) | Jan. 9, 2001 | June 29, 2006 | Serious disorders of glucose metabolism |
| Tegaserod (Zelnorm) | Mar. 12, 2002 | Mar. 30, 2007 | Increase in cardiovascular ischemic events |
| Pergolide (Permax) | June 27, 1991 | Aug. 30, 2007 | Valvulopathy |
| Lumiracoxib (Prexige) | Nov. 2, 2006 | Oct. 3, 2007 | Risk of serious hepatotoxicity |
| Efalizumab (Raptiva) | Oct. 24, 2005 | Feb. 22, 2009 | Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy |
| Sibutramine (Meridia) | Dec. 28, 2000 | Oct. 8, 2010 | Serious cardiovascular events |
| Dextropropoxyphene (Darvon-N) | 1961 | Nov. 25, 2010 | Risk of serious abnormal heart rhythms |
| Sitaxsentan (Thelin) | June 19, 2007 | Dec. 15, 2010 | Idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity |
| Calcitonin (synthetic, salmon) nasal spray (Miacalcin) | July 13, 1992 | Oct. 1, 2013 | Increased rate of malignancies |
| Meprobamate-containing medicine (282-MEP) | Nov. 1, 1998 | Oct. 28, 2013 | Risk of overdose, abuse or misuse |
*
Approval dates are from Health Canada’s Notice of Compliance website: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodpharma/notices-avis/index-eng.php. For drugs approved before Jan. 1, 1991, the date of approval is the date that the product was first listed in the Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties.
†
Withdrawal dates are from Health Canada’s MedEffect website: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/medeff/advisories-avis/prof/index-eng.php. Withdrawal of gatifloxacin was not mentioned on the MedEffect website but was confirmed on Health Canada’s Drug Product Database: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodpharma/databasdon/index-eng.php.