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Ontario coverage, price, criteria word for word, Health Canada status and shortages for one product

Patient plan: look up a medication list

VALPROIC ACID

All products: not a benefit

Other products in the same Health Canada class (N03A, N03AG) — coverage varies; not interchangeable

  • Divalproex (Epival): general benefit
  • Valproate (Depakene): general benefit
  • Vigabatrin (Vigabatrin for Oral Solution, USP 500mg): limited Use 136, Listing status unconfirmed
  • Carbamazepine (Tegretol): general benefit, Limited Use, Not a benefit, Listing status unconfirmed
  • Clonazepam (Rivotril): general benefit
  • Ethosuximide (Zarontin): general benefit

14 more in the class list below

Depakene · DIN 00507989 · 500mg · Ent capsule

Listed, not a benefit; Health Canada lists this DIN as Cancelled post market since 2007-05-11 — choose a marketed DIN from the same-category list.Discontinued 2007-05-11 · checked 2026-09-02
StatusListed, not a benefit; Health Canada lists this DIN as Cancelled post market since 2007-05-11 — choose a marketed DIN from the same-category list.
Write on scriptnot a benefit; no Exceptional Access criteria on record; see alternatives; Health Canada lists this DIN as Cancelled post market since 2007-05-11 — choose a marketed DIN from the same-category list.
Patient paysPatient pays: program not supplied; amount cannot be determined.
Private plan unknown: ask. If yes, check its coverage and payer coordination; if no, see the public routes below.
1 brand, same coverage
Depakene · DIN 00507989 Manufacturer: Abbott Laboratories Limited; listing date 1996-10-01 Health Canada: Cancelled post market since 2007-05-11 · brand DEPAKENE CAP 500MG · ATC N03AG01 VALPROIC ACID · form Capsule (enteric-coated) · route Oral · ingredients VALPROIC ACID 500 MG · company Abbott laboratories, limited · schedule Prescription
Check this DIN again · Health Canada product record

Depakene: Formulary list price not recorded/unit (unit not stated in source; not the patient's cost)

Formulary data: Ontario extract of Aug 26, 2026 · Health Canada DPD extract of Sep 2, 2026 (Open Government Licence – Canada) · https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info?lang=eng&code=4439 · Verify on the e-Formulary ↗ (DIN 00507989)

Source record
DIN 00507989: Depakene Raw flags: notABenefit=Y, sec3=Y Item: 281200042; group id 448; item number 1121; lccId None; manufacturer id ABB Source form: Ent Cap; strength: 500mg Recorded listing: Listed, not a benefit; ODB pays only for the benefit products in this interchangeable category Source prices (unrounded): not recorded; ministry not recorded Source: ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26 DIN=00507989 Health Canada DPD extract of Sep 2, 2026 (Open Government Licence – Canada) · https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info?lang=eng&code=4439
Interchangeable products
PMS-Valproic Acid · DIN 02229628 · $0.8102
Shortage status: no shortage or discontinuation reported (checked 2026-09-13T08:10:21.292534+00:00); reports as of 2026-09-13T08:10:21.292534+00:00 (Health Product Shortages Canada) Source: https://healthproductshortages.ca/search?term=00507989
Shortage record checked 2026-09-13T08:10:21.292534+00:00
Health Canada lists this DIN as Cancelled post market since 2007-05-11 — choose a marketed DIN from the same-category list.
Other drugs in the same formulary class (28:12 Anticonvulsants) and how they are covered

Matched class: 28:12 Anticonvulsants

Drug-class inventory only. Lists recorded Ontario formulary products, not every Canadian medication; does not recommend treatment. Covered without a code on the Ontario formulary: CLONAZEPAM, DIVALPROEX SODIUM, ETHOSUXIMIDE, LAMOTRIGINE, VALPROATE SODIUM Some products covered without a code (check the product listing): CARBAMAZEPINE, GABAPENTIN, PHENYTOIN (DIPHENYLHYDANTOIN), PHENYTOIN (DIPHENYLHYDANTOIN) SODIUM, PREGABALIN, PRIMIDONE, TOPIRAMATE 28:12 Anticonvulsants

DIVALPROEX SODIUM

· 9 products · General benefit · strengths: 125mg, 250mg, 500mg · Ent Tab

VALPROATE SODIUM

· 5 products · General benefit · strengths: 50mg/mL · O/L

VIGABATRIN

· 3 products · Temporary benefit (2), Limited Use, codes 136 (1) · strengths: 500mg/Sachet, 500mg · Pd for Oral Sol, Tab

CARBAMAZEPINE

· 15 products · Listed, not a benefit (3), General benefit (6), Temporary benefit (2), Limited Use, codes 67 (4) · strengths: 100mg, 200mg, 400mg, 100mg/5mL · Chew Tab, ER Tab, LA Tab, Oral Susp, Tab

CLONAZEPAM

· 9 products · General benefit · strengths: 0.5mg, 2mg · Tab

ETHOSUXIMIDE

· 4 products · General benefit · strengths: 250mg, 50mg/mL · Cap, O/L

LAMOTRIGINE

· 28 products · General benefit · strengths: 25mg, 100mg, 150mg · Tab

PHENYTOIN (DIPHENYLHYDANTOIN)

· 4 products · General benefit; DIN status E (meaning unconfirmed); confirm discontinuation/availability with Health Canada (2), General benefit (2) · strengths: 6mg/mL, 25mg/mL, 50mg · O/L, Tab

PHENYTOIN (DIPHENYLHYDANTOIN) SODIUM

· 4 products · General benefit (3), Limited Use, codes 481, 657 (1) · strengths: 30mg, 100mg, 50mg/mL · Cap, Inj Sol (Preservative Free)

PRIMIDONE

· 4 products · General benefit (2), Listed, not a benefit (2) · strengths: 125mg, 250mg · Tab

TOPIRAMATE

· 54 products · Limited Use, codes 321 (2), Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit (3), General benefit (49) · strengths: 15mg, 25mg, 50mg, 100mg, 200mg · Sprinkle Cap, Tab

BRIVARACETAM

· 12 products · Limited Use, codes 548 · strengths: 10mg, 25mg, 50mg, 75mg, 100mg · Tab Source: formulary-ed43-front-matter.txt Part V; ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26; class 28:12 and 11 more
Full class listing Related classes: 28:08 Analgesics, 28:10 Opiate Antagonists, 28:16 Psychotherapeutic Agents, 28:20 C.N.S. Stimulants, 28:24 Sedatives and Hypnotics, 28:36 Antiparkinsonian Agents, 28:92 Miscellaneous Central Nervous System Drugs Same formulary class, not same indication: class membership alone does not establish equivalent uses.
Other drugs whose Health Canada label lists a similar indication: simple or complex absence seizures, use adjunctively, use as sole or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of simple or complex absence seizures
From Health Canada product monographs; label wording only, not a treatment recommendation. Matching is lexical and uses one held product label per generic; formulations and qualifying criteria may differ. Covered without a code on the Ontario formulary: VALPROATE SODIUM, DIVALPROEX SODIUM VALPROATE SODIUM · General benefit Indications DEPAKENE (valproic acid oral solution) is indicated for: • use as sole or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of simple or complex absence seizures, including petit mal, and is useful in primary generalized seizures with tonic-clonic manifestations. PM: https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00084557.PDF; date 2026-04-30; DIN 00443832; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph • use as sole or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of simple or complex absence seizures, including petit mal, and is useful in primary generalized seizures with tonic-clonic manifestations. PM: https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00084557.PDF; date 2026-04-30; DIN 00443832; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph • use adjunctively in patients with multiple seizure types which include either absence or tonic- clonic seizures. In accordance with the International Classification of Seizures, simple absence is defined as a very brief clouding of the sensorium or loss of consciousness (lasting usually 2 to 15 seconds), accompanied by certain generalized epileptic discharges without other detectable clinical signs. Complex absence is the term used when other signs are also present. See 2 Contraindications and 7 Hepatic/Biliary/Pancreatic, Serious or Fatal Hepatotoxicity for statement regarding serious or fatal hepatic dysfunction. PM: https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00084557.PDF; date 2026-04-30; DIN 00443832; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph DIVALPROEX SODIUM · General benefit Indications EPIVAL® (divalproex sodium delayed-release tablets) is indicated for: Epilepsy • use as sole or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of simple or complex absence seizures, including petit mal, and is useful in primary generalized seizures with tonic-clonic manifestations. PM: https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00084579.PDF; date 2026-04-30; DIN 00596418; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph Coverage source: ON formulary extract 2026-08-26
What the Health Canada label says it is for
1. Indications pms-VALPROIC ACID / pms-VALPROIC ACID E.C. (valproic acid) are indicated for: • use as sole or adjunctive therapy in the treatment of simple or complex absence seizures, including petit mal, and is useful in primary generalized seizures with tonic-clonic manifestations. • use adjunctively in patients with multiple seizure types, which include either absence or tonic-clonic seizures. In accordance with the International Classification of Seizures, simple absence is defined as a very brief clouding of the sensorium or loss of consciousness (lasting usually 2 to 15 seconds), accompanied by certain generalized epileptic discharges without other detectable clinical signs. Complex absence is the term used when other signs are also present. See 2 Contraindications; and 7 Hepatic/Biliary/Pancreatic, Serious or Fatal Hepatotoxicity for statement regarding serious or fatal hepatic dysfunction. 1.1. Pediatrics Pediatrics (< 18 years of age): When pms-VALPROIC ACID / pms-VALPROIC ACID E.C. is used in children under the age of 2 years, it should be used with extreme caution and as a sole agent. Above the age of 2 years, experience in epilepsy has indicated … https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00083584.PDF PM date: 2026-02-23 Source product: PMS-VALPROIC ACID; DIN 02230768; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph posted by Health Canada; excerpt for lookup only.

Other review policies

For Depakene: no applicable EAP criteria are held and no ODB benefit is established. These policies do not establish coverage.

For rare, immediately life-, limb- or organ-threatening circumstances, the Compassionate Review Policy may consider an unfunded drug or indication, subject to its criteria and without bypassing the drug review process. Compassionate Review Policy

Compassionate Review Policy: source quote
Where there are rare clinical circumstances in immediately life, limb, or organ-threatening conditions, the Executive Officer will also consider requests for drugs or indications in situations where there has not been a decision by the Executive Officer to provide funding of the drug or indication as part of the Ontario Drug Benefit program (and the EAP), and the drug or indication requested would not circumvent the established review process for new drugs or indications as part of the drug submission process for listing within the Ontario Drug Benefit program. Requests must meet the criteria for the Compassionate Review Policy.

Ontario source; updated September 15, 2026

For cancer drugs, Case-by-Case Review considers rare, immediately life-threatening circumstances when no satisfactory funded treatment exists; its criteria and application process apply. Case-by-Case Review (cancer drugs)

Case-by-Case Review (cancer drugs): source quote
Note: Requests for cancer drugs are considered under the Case-by-Case Review Program (CBCRP) which is administered by Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) on behalf of the Ministry of Health. The CBCRP considers funding requests for drugs (both oral therapies and injectable drugs) for the treatment of cancer in patients who have a rare clinical circumstance that is immediately life-threatening (death is likely within a matter of months) and who require treatment with an unfunded drug, because there is no other satisfactory and funded treatment. Please refer to the Ontario Health website for information on the application process, FAQs, eligibility criteria and program policies.

Ontario source; updated September 15, 2026