Health Canada

Long-sleeved medical gowns are essential for health care providers during the COVID-19 outbreak. As a personal protective equipment (PPE), they help protect health care providers against respiratory droplets and to slow the spread of the disease in Canada.

Pursuant to subsection 56(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), and subject to the terms and conditions herein, practitioners and pharmacists, authorized within their scope of practice, are hereby exempted from the following provisions of the CDSA and its regulations when...

Medical gloves are essential for health care providers during the COVID-19 outbreak. As a personal protective equipment (PPE), they help protect health care providers by providing a barrier to help prevent potential exposure to infectious disease. They also help slow the spread of the disease in...

Masks and respirators (personal respiratory protective devices) are essential during the COVID-19 outbreak. They help slow the spread of the disease in Canada and protect health care providers. Both masks and respirators need to be used in combination with appropriate eye protection (e.g., face...

Reprocessing of devices intended for single use only is not a new concept. It has been done successfully with other devices used in Canada and similar technology can be applied to N95 respirators.

Single Use N95 respirators are disposable filtering face pieces covering the mouth, nose and chin that capture airborne particles from the air on the filter. They are considered single use medical devices because scientific evidence has not been submitted to Health Canada to support...

Health Canada is expediting access to supplies of hand sanitizers, disinfectants, personal protective equipments and swabs to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

Ventilators are an important piece of medical equipment in the fight against COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Health care professionals use ventilators to give respiratory help to patients who need it.

The Special Access Programme (SAP) provides access to nonmarketed drugs for practitioners treating patients with serious or life-threatening conditions when conventional therapies have failed, are unsuitable, or unavailable. The SAP authorizes a manufacturer to sell a drug that cannot otherwise...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Health Canada is working closely with domestic and international partners to anticipate and meet Canadians' health product needs. International collaboration ensures that our policies and regulatory approaches are aligned and that health products are effective and...

The health and safety of Canadians is our priority. Along with measures reported in the Government of Canada's response to COVID-19, Health Canada is also implementing interim measures to expedite access to hand sanitizers, disinfectants and personal protective equipment to address product shortages

Tier 3 shortages are those that have the greatest potential impact on Canada's drug supply and health care system. Impact is based on low availability of alternative supplies, ingredients or therapies.

It is now mandatory for manufacturers and importers to report shortages of medical devices related to COVID-19 to Health Canada.

List of medical device shortages related to COVID-19.

List of specified medical devices related to COVID-19.

A medical device shortage occurs when a manufacturer is unable to meet Canadian market demand for the device or for its components, accessories, parts or consumable materials. It does not include a situation in which a substitute device, component, accessory, or part is available.

Medical devices included on this list are called "designated medical devices" and are eligible for the exceptional importation and sale provisions provided for in the Interim Order.

There is an unprecedented demand and urgent need for access to medical devices during the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 30, 2020, the Minister of Health signed the Interim Order Respecting Drugs, Medical Devices and Foods for a Special Dietary Purpose in relation to COVID-19. The interim order (IO)...

For the purpose of expanding the list of "designated drugs", the Industry must propose an addition to the list of designated drugs.

There is an unprecedented demand and urgent need for access to drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 30, 2020, the Minister of Health signed the Interim Order Respecting Drugs, Medical Devices and Foods for a Special Dietary Purpose in relation to COVID-19. The interim order (IO) allows...