Medication
In uncomplicated cases of ADHD, medication management is fairly straightforward and typically effective with minimal side effects. However, medication should never be the only treatment given for ADHD. A multimodal approach should always be used. Please access Treatment for additional information on comprehensive treatment for ADHD, and also information under treatment found in the Child and Adolescent and Adult sections.
Information on ADHD Medications
For detailed information on medication approved to treat ADHD in Canada please access:
Provincial Drug Plan Formularies
To access a document outlining which medications are covered on various provincial drug plans, please click HERE (printable PDF document format).
For National Programs Information including:
- Public Service Health Care Plan
- Canadian Forces Health Services
- Interim Federal Health Program
- Correctional Services of Canada
- Special Access Programs
- NIHB for First Nations and Inuit Populations
For BC, AB, SK and MB click HERE
For NB, NS, PEI, NFLD, YK click HERE
For ON & QU click HERE
Or Visit: Provincial and Territorial Public Drug Benefit Programs
Issues with Generic Versions of ADHD Medications
Several generic medications have been approved by Health Canada to be “bioequivalent” or interchangeable for brand name ADHD medications. There are approved generic forms of Strattera, Adderall XR and several versions of generic forms of Concerta. To-date, we have not received feedback on significant issues with the generic versions of Adderall XR or Strattera. However, since soon after its release in 2010 CADDAC has been receiving feedback on issues with generic forms of Concerta. READ MORE
Adverse Event Reporting
Health Canada is requesting that patients who have experiences a reduction in effectiveness, or increase in side effects, due to a switch to a generic medication fill out an Adverse Reaction From. READ MORE
Please also encourage your doctors to report adverse events they see occurring in their patients. For further information on this physicians should access https://www.caddra.ca/medical-resources/medication-updates/548-adverse-event-reporting
Free Medication Cards that Cover the Difference between Generic and Brand Name Medications
Access co-pay assist cards for,
Concerta and Adderall XR Here (https://www.innovicares.ca/)
Strattera Rxhelp Here (http://www.rxhelp.ca.en.default.aspx)
CADDAC Advocacy on Generic Concerta
CADDAC has been actively advocating to Health Canada and provincial drug plans around this issue since 2010.
Letter from CADDAC to Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada – February 2010
Follow up letter from CADDAC to Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada – September 2010
Feedback samples sent with Sept 2010 letter
Response from Dr. Supiya Sharma, Health Canada, October 2010
2015 Survey on Experiences with Mental Health Medication/Generic Substitution
In 2015 CADDAC undertook a survey to look collect feedback on people’s experiences with the substitution of generic mental health medications. To access information on why this was done, the survey’s findings, the letter sent to Health Canada and Health Canada’s response READ MORE
March 2016 CADDAC Receives Reply Letter from Health Canada
View the Letter Here
Recent Meeting with Health Canada Regarding Generic Concerta
On October the 31st 2016 CADDAC and CADDRA as well as other stake holders met with Health Canada to present our activities over the past six years and express our continued concerns in regards to the bioequivalency, or more accurately the lack of therapeutic equivalence, of the generic forms of the brand name ADHD medication Concerta.
For a full report access the CADDAC Blog
Follow-up from Health Canada regarding Generic Forms of Concerta
This past week, a follow-up letter was received from Marion Law, the Director General of Health Canada’s Therapeutic Products Directorate (TPD) addressing discussions during the Oct 31 meeting with Janssen, CADDAC and ADHD medical experts. For a full report on what Health Canada is monitoring, will be reviewing and research that it is waiting for, please access the CADDAC Blog.