Alberta pharmacists left scrambling to replace heart drugs amid shortages

Some Alberta pharmacists say chronic drug shortages in Canada are making it harder to replace their patients'heart medications following a massive recall this week.

Health Canada has recalled certain medications that may contain a potential carcinogen, known as the impurity N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), which can cause cancer with long-term exposure.

Chinese companyZhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticalssupplied the drugs containing valsartan, which is commonly used to treat high blood pressure and prevent heart attacks and stroke.

But the regulator said the particular valsartan used in these recalled medications maycontain thecarcinogen.

"You know, quite shocked," pharmacist GregBueckertsaid about the announcement. "We do get notices but nothing to this degree where they're removing mass amounts of an essential medication from themarketplace."

Health Canada urges patients to stay on their medications but tocheck with their doctors and pharmacistsright away about switching prescriptions.

'No options anymore'

Bueckertowns Greg's Remedy RX in Medicine Hat, Alta., and has been trying to contact everyone his pharmacy has ever prescribedthe recalled drugs. He's also consulted a cardiologist to find substitutes.

But he said ongoing drug shortages in Canada make it hard to find a viable and available replacement.

"We don't have options anymore. We take what we get," Buecket said. "That's sad because then you've got an instance like this where, instead of being able to say, 'Hey, I'm not going to give you this brand, we'll just go to the other one,' there's no options anymore. You have no alternatives."

Back in 2012, Health Canada started a steering committee with the provinces to address the drug shortage problem, yet pharmacists have spoken out, saying the problem is getting worse. Instead, they say they'releft trying to find drugs in short supply and even sending patients back to physicians for reassessment.

More than three-quarters of drug supply shortages in Canada are for generic drugs, astudy released last month by C.D. Howe Institute found.

"The recalls say, 'Make sure they don't stop taking their medication,' butcurrently due to drug shortages, there is no valsartan that's available at this time from the wholesalers," said pharmacist Rob Heaton, who owns Cambrian Pharmacy in Calgary.

"Sowe're going to have to...find some very quickly or again, get a hold of physicians to have them changed."

Last year, the federal government started requiring drug companies publicly report shortages. Since then, roughly 4,400 actual and anticipated shortages have been reported, according to Health Canada.

The registry currently notes multiple shortages, including an actual shortage of a high blood pressure and heart medication.

The health authority notes on its website that drug shortages may be caused due to issues supplying an ingredient, voluntary recalls, manufacturing issues, sole-source contracts or economic decisions, such as stopping production due to lack of financial return.

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With files from Jennifer Lee.