List of needed veterinary drugs
On this page
Background
Health Canada's Veterinary Drugs Directorate (VDD) evaluates and monitors the safety, quality and efficacy of veterinary drugs for food-producing and companion animals. We do this to help protect human and animal health, and the safety of Canada's food supply.
As part of our work, we review regulatory submissions for veterinary drugs. We also partner with regulatory authorities in other countries on joint and simultaneous product reviews, which can lead to approvals in multiple jurisdictions at the same time.
Based on extensive collaboration with veterinarians, industry, food animal producers and other stakeholders, we have developed the List of Needed Veterinary Drugs.
Learn more:
About the list
As Health Canada cannot compel drug companies to bring their products to Canada, we have developed this list to support discussions between stakeholders and drug companies about existing needs.
The list includes products that:
- are not available in Canada for the proposed use
- do not have an alternative treatment
- are authorized in another regulatory jurisdiction
The listed products contain the following information:
- medicinal ingredient
- strength or concentration
- dosage form
- indication or intended use
- target species
The list is divided into 4 categories:
- Products not previously authorized in Canada
- Products authorized in Canada but not for the needed species or indication
- Products previously available in Canada and currently either dormant or cancelled post-market or approved but not marketed
- Products previously approved in Canada that are currently unavailable and not authorized in the needed species or indication
The veterinary drugs in the list are based on greatest need and were identified through consultation. The criteria we used are set out in a framework. This framework includes the screening and evaluation process to determine what products are included on the list.
The list and the framework:
- highlight needed veterinary drugs for the agri-food and aquaculture sectors, so that veterinary drug companies can better assess market demand and consider filing a submission in Canada
- establish the medical necessity of products
- identify products that may be eligible for additional review tools, such as terms and conditions and priority review
The list
The List of Needed Veterinary Drugs will be updated periodically, to include additions, removals or modifications, based on the established criteria.
| Medicinal ingredient | Strength or concentration | Dosage form | Indication or intended use | Target species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guaifenesin | 50 mg/mL | Sterile powder for injection | Muscle relaxant | Horses |
| Flubendazole | 50 mg/g | Premix | Capillaria spp. | Chickens |
| Methocarbamol | 100 mg/mL | Injection | Muscle relaxant | Horses |
| Medicinal ingredient | Strength or concentration | Dosage form | Indication or intended use | Target species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albendazole | 113.6 mg/mL | Oral suspension | Tapeworm, liver flukes | Sheep, goats |
| Ceftiofur sodium | 50 mg/mL | Sterile powder for injection | Respiratory disease | Goats |
| Decoquinate | 60 g/kg | Medicated premix | Coccidiosis | Goats |
| Dexamethasone sodium phosphate | 2 mg/mL or 5 mg/mL | Injection | Pain and inflammation | Sheep, goats |
| Enrofloxacin | 100 mg/mL | Injection | Various bacterial infections | Sheep, goats |
| Eprinomectin | Various formulations | Gastrointestinal nematodes, lungworms, nasal bots | Goats | |
| Fenbendazole | 25 mg/mL or 100 mg/mL | Oral suspension | Tapeworms | Sheep, goats |
| Ketamine | 100 mg/mL | Injection | Sedation and anaesthesia | Sheep, goats |
| Lidocaine | 20 mg/mL | Injection | Local anaesthesia | Goats |
| Trimethoprim, Sulfadoxine | 40 mg/mL or 200 mg/mL | Injection | Various bacterial infections | Sheep, goats |
| Xylazine | 20 mg/mL | Injection | Sedation | Sheep, goats |
| Dormant | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicinal ingredient | Strength or concentration | Dosage form | Indication or intended use | Target species |
| Enilconazole | 100 mg/mL | Topical solution | Ringworm | Horses |
| Levamisole hydrochloride | Various | Soluble oral powder | Capillaria spp. | Chickens |
| Sodium iodide | 200 mg/mL | Injection | Actinomycosis | Cattle |
| Vitamin K1 | 10 mg/mL | Injection | Hypoprothrombinemia | Horses |
| Medicinal ingredient | Strength or concentration | Dosage form | Indication or intended use | Target species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronopol | 100 mg/mL | Topical solution | Saprolegnia | Finfish |
| Gentamicin | 3 mg/mL | Ophthalmic solution | Bacterial infections | Horses |
Notes:
- The products and uses on the list are based on stakeholder requests and would require drug companies to file a regulatory submission to VDD to seek market authorization.
- For information about status types (for example, dormant, cancelled post-market), visit the Drug Product Database.
- In developing the list, there were requests for products not available in any other jurisdiction, which points to the need for further research and development. These include veterinary drugs:
- to mitigate pain in poultry species
- for goats (multiple drug classes)
- to treat histomoniasis in turkeys.
Contact us
Contact us for more information on the framework, if you have any new products you would like us to assess or if you have questions or suggestions about the list.