Table 2:
Characteristics of Shortage Reports Filed in March-April 2018-2020
| Group or Characteristic |
n (%)a |
Difference from 2018-2019 Average (N) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | ||
| Reports | 459 (100) | 456 (100) | 604 (100) | 147 |
| Ingredients with a report | 239 | 220 | 288 | 59 |
| Report status at creation | ||||
| Anticipated shortage | 154 (34) | 146 (32) | 84 (14) | −66 |
| Actual shortage | 305 (66) | 310 (68) | 520 (86) | 213 |
| Age of drugs,y,M (SD) | 15.8 (14.2) | 13.5 (11.8) | 16.5 (12.9) | 1.9 (−0.1) |
| Brand status | ||||
| Generic | 369 (80) | 380 (83) | 512 (85) | 138 |
| Innovator | 89 (19) | 73 (16) | 91 (15) | 10 |
| Unknown | 1 (0) | 3 (1) | 1 (0) | −1 |
| Form | ||||
| Tablet | 270 (59) | 262 (57) | 329 (54) | 63 |
| Capsule | 59 (13) | 63 (14) | 78 (13) | 17 |
| Solution | 64 (14) | 60 (13) | 86 (14) | 24 |
| Other | 66 (14) | 71 (16) | 111 (18) | 43 |
| Route | ||||
| Oral | 336 (73) | 333 (73) | 423 (70) | 89 |
| Intravenous | 37 (8) | 44 (10) | 75 (12) | 48 |
| Topical | 16 (3) | 25 (5) | 40 (7) | 26 |
| Other | 70 (15) | 54 (12) | 66 (11) | 25 |
| Top 5 therapeutic classes (ATC2) | ||||
| C09—Agents acting on the renin-angiotensin system | 32 (7) | 80 (18) | 68 (11) | 12 |
| J01—Antibacterials for systemic use | 21 (5) | 12 (3) | 45 (7) | 29 |
| N02—Analgesics | 19 (4) | 12 (3) | 40 (7) | 25 |
| N06—Psychoanaleptics | 50 (11) | 37 (8) | 39 (6) | −5 |
| N05—Psycholeptics | 49 (11) | 29 (6) | 36 (6) | −3 |
Notes: The age of drugs is defined on the basis of the year of first approval of the DIN identified by the shortage report in DPD. Following Donelle et al. (2018), an innovator status is assigned by ingredient group to the DINs of the innovator company, defined as the company with a first approval within the group. Therapeutic classes are defined on the basis of the second level of the ATC Classification System code. The top 5 therapeutic classes are based on March-April 2020 report counts. Differences with 2018-2019 average are rounded to the nearest integer. ATC2 = second level of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification system code; DIN = drug identification number; DPD = Drug Product Database.
Unless otherwise indicated.
Sources: Drug Shortages Canada (n.d.) and Health Canada (2015).