Look up one drug

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

Patient plan: look up a medication list

ALENDRONATE

All products: not a benefit

Other products in the same Health Canada class (M05B, M05BA) — coverage varies; not interchangeable

  • Risedronate (Actonel DR): general benefit, Not a benefit
  • Clodronate (Ostac): limited Use 280, 358, 359, Not a benefit
  • Etidronate (Didronel): limited Use 236, 237, Not a benefit
  • Zoledronic acid (Aclasta): limited Use 319, 436, 523, Not a benefit
  • Pamidronate (Aredia): not a benefit
  • Alendronate + cholecalciferol (Fosavance): general benefit

1 more in the class list below

Apo-Alendronate · DIN 02248727 · 5mg · tablet

Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefitDormant since 2021-07-07 · checked 2026-09-19 · What does dormant mean?
StatusOff-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit
Write on scriptnot a benefit; no Exceptional Access criteria on record; see alternatives
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
Apo-Alendronate · DIN 02248727 Manufacturer: Apotex Inc.; listing date 2007-10-03 Health Canada: Dormant since 2021-07-07 · brand APO-ALENDRONATE · ATC M05BA04 ALENDRONIC ACID · form Tablet · route Oral · ingredients ALENDRONIC ACID (ALENDRONATE SODIUM) 5 MG · company Apotex inc · schedule Prescription
Check this DIN again · Health Canada product record

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=73095 · Verify on the e-Formulary ↗ (DIN 02248727)

Source record
DIN 02248727: Apo-Alendronate Raw flags: notABenefit=Y, sec3=Y, sec3b=Y Item: 920000294; group id 891; item number 2139; lccId None; manufacturer id APX Source form: Tab; strength: 5mg Recorded listing: Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit Source prices (unrounded): $1.0370; ministry not recorded Source: ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26 DIN=02248727 Health Canada DPD extract of Sep 2, 2026 (Open Government Licence – Canada) · https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info?lang=eng&code=73095
Interchangeable products
Alendronate Sodium Tablets · DIN 02381478 · not recorded Fosamax · DIN 02233055 · not recorded Teva-Alendronate · DIN 02248251 · not recorded
Shortage status: not checked (no credentials)
Health Canada lists this DIN as Dormant since 2021-07-07 — choose a marketed DIN from the same-category list.
Other drugs in the same formulary class (92:00 UNCLASSIFIED THERAPEUTIC AGENTS) and how they are covered

Matched class: 92:00 UNCLASSIFIED THERAPEUTIC AGENTS

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: ALENDRONATE & CHOLECALCIFEROL, AZATHIOPRINE, CYCLOSPORINE, GLUCAGON RDNA ORIGIN, LANREOTIDE ACETATE, LEFLUNOMIDE, LEVODOPA & BENSERAZIDE, MYCOPHENOLATE SODIUM Some products covered without a code (check the product listing): ALLOPURINOL, AMANTADINE HCL, BROMOCRIPTINE, CLOPIDOGREL BISULFATE, LEVODOPA & CARBIDOPA, MYCOPHENOLATE MOFETIL, OCTREOTIDE, RISEDRONATE SODIUM, ROPINIROLE, SELEGILINE HCL, TAMSULOSIN HCL 92:00 UNCLASSIFIED THERAPEUTIC AGENTS

RISEDRONATE SODIUM

· 23 products · General benefit (20), Listed, not a benefit (3) · strengths: 35mg, 5mg, 30mg, 150mg · DR Tab, Tab

CLODRONATE DISODIUM

· 2 products · Listed, not a benefit (1), Limited Use, codes 280, 358, 359 (1) · strengths: 400mg · Cap

ETIDRONATE DISODIUM

· 2 products · Listed, not a benefit (1), Limited Use, codes 236, 237 (1) · strengths: 200mg · Tab

ZOLEDRONIC ACID

· 12 products · Limited Use, codes 319, 436, 523 (2), Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit (10) · strengths: 5mg/100mL, 4mg/5mL · Inj Sol-100mL Pk (Preservative-Free), Inj Sol-5mL Pk (Preservative-Free)

PAMIDRONATE DISODIUM

· 9 products · Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit · strengths: 3mg/mL, 6mg/mL, 9mg/mL · Inj Sol-10mL Vial

ALENDRONATE & CHOLECALCIFEROL

· 6 products · General benefit · strengths: 70mg & 70mcg, 70mg & 140mcg · Tab

DENOSUMAB

· 8 products · Limited Use, codes 687, 688 (4), Limited Use, codes 686 (4) · strengths: 60mg/mL, 120mg/1.7mL · Inj Sol-1.0mL Pref Syr Pk (Preservative-Free), Inj Sol-Pref Syr, Inj Sol-Pref Syr (Preservative-Free), Inj Sol-Vial Pk, Inj Sol-Vial Pk (Preservative-Free)

ALLOPURINOL

· 10 products · General benefit (6), Listed, not a benefit (4) · strengths: 100mg, 200mg, 300mg · Tab

AMANTADINE HCL

· 5 products · Listed, not a benefit (2), General benefit (3) · strengths: 100mg, 10mg/mL · Cap, O/L

AZATHIOPRINE

· 3 products · General benefit · strengths: 50mg · Tab

BROMOCRIPTINE

· 4 products · Listed, not a benefit (2), General benefit (2) · strengths: 5mg, 2.5mg · Cap, Tab

CLOPIDOGREL BISULFATE

· 19 products · General benefit (16), Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit (3) · strengths: 75mg, 300mg · Tab Source: formulary-ed43-front-matter.txt Part V; ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26; class 92:00 and 75 more
Full class listing Related classes: Same formulary class, not same indication: class membership alone does not establish equivalent uses.
What the Health Canada label says it is for
1 INDICATIONS FOSAMAX® (alendronate sodium) is indicated for: • The treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. o For the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, FOSAMAX® increases bone mass and prevents fractures, including those of the hip and spine (vertebral compression fractures). • The treatment of osteoporosis in men. o For the treatment of osteoporosis in men, FOSAMAX® increases bone mass and reduces the incidence of fractures. • The prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women1 o For the prevention of osteoporosis, alendronate sodium may be considered in postmenopausal women who are at risk of developing osteoporosis and for whom the desired clinical outcome is to maintain bone mass and to reduce the risk of future fracture. • The treatment and prevention of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in men and women.1 o Alendronate sodium is indicated for the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in men and women receiving glucocorticoids in a daily dosage equivalent to 7.5 mg or greater of prednisone and who have low bone mineral density. 1 Although alendronate tablets 5 mg, 10 mg, a… https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00071922.PDF PM date: not printed or not captured Source product: FOSAMAX; DIN 02245329; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph posted by Health Canada; excerpt for lookup only.
Health Canada: dormant products
Health Canada defines dormant products as: “products that were previously marketed in Canada but for which the manufacturer has suspended sale for period of at least 12 months.” (canada.ca, Sep 10, 2026 ↗)

Other review policies

For Apo-Alendronate: 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