Drug shortages remain one of the most urgent challenges facing healthcare worldwide. In Canada, they can mean delayed therapies, altered treatment plans, or in the worst cases, cancelled care – putting patients at serious risk.  

At HealthPRO Canada, our Pharmacy team partners closely with members and suppliers to anticipate shortages and secure alternatives, minimizing disruption for clinicians and protecting patient care.  
 
The vital role of procurement in safeguarding patients became especially clear recently. Leveraging our unique national reach, trusted relationships, and deep expertise, we successfully mitigated two high-risk cancer drug shortages: 

• Ensured continuity of critical cancer therapies – Secured alternatives for Irinotecan, on backorder for more than a year, allowing uninterrupted access for patients with lung and colorectal cancers. 
  

• Protected access to life-saving treatments – Collaborated with suppliers to address global shortages of Vincristine, helping safeguard care for children and adults living with leukemia, lymphoma, and paediatric neuroblastoma. 

By reducing the impact of shortages, we save members valuable time, limit cost impacts, and most importantly, help safeguard the continuity of cancer care for patients across the country. 

Behind every procurement decision is a patient relying on timely treatment. If your organization is facing drug shortage challenges, our Member Success team is here to help—connect with your representative to explore solutions.