SINEMET® (levodopa/carbidopa)
Merck Canada Inc., distributor of SINEMET® (levodopa/carbidopa) in Canada, released a statement on October 30th, 2018 noting that there are global manufacturing delays in the production and resupply of these products.
There is currently a shortage of instant-release formulations of SINEMET®. An anticipated shortage end date was previously reported for July 2020. However, this date has now been pushed to March 2021. These formulations include SINEMET® IR 100 mg/25 mg and SINEMET® IR 250 mg/25 mg.
Controlled-release formulations of SINEMET® were discontinued in 2020, and there are currently no reported plans to return to production. These formulations include SINEMET® CR 100mg/25mg and SINEMET® 200mg/50mg.
Some pharmacies have begun replacing SINEMET® with generics that are available in Canada. If you are switching to a generic, we caution that you may notice changes in the drug's effectiveness. It is recommended that you speak with your neurologist and a pharmacist about any changes to your medication.
If you or someone you know has been having issues with a generic substitution, please report this to Health Canada’s Therapeutic Products Directorate. While Health Canada has listed the generics as equivalent, this may not be your lived experience. You can contact Health Canada at: hc.bps.enquiries.sc@canada.ca.
The most up-to-date information regarding SINEMET® supply details is available on www.drugshortagescanada.ca.
Entacapone 200mg
Two manufacturers, Teva Canada Ltd., and Sandoz Canada Inc., have reported recent shortages in this generic drug.
Teva-Entacapone 200mg has a shortage end date estimated for March 31, 2020. Sandoz Entacapone 200mg estimated a shortage end for February 21, although no recent updates have been reported.
The most up-to-date information regarding Entacapone supply details is available on www.drugshortagescanada.ca.
Last updated: February 25, 2020