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

PHENOBARBITAL

All injection strengths: Limited Use (codes 481)

Other products in the same Health Canada class (N03A, N03AA) — coverage varies; not interchangeable

  • Primidone (Primidone): general benefit, Not a benefit
  • Carbamazepine (Tegretol): general benefit, Limited Use, Not a benefit, Listing status unconfirmed
  • Clonazepam (Rivotril): general benefit
  • Divalproex (Epival): general benefit
  • Ethosuximide (Zarontin): general benefit
  • Lamotrigine (Lamictal): general benefit

14 more in the class list below

Phenobarbital Injection · DIN 02304090 · 120mg/mL · injection solution-1mL Pk

Limited Use — Reason for Use code 481 requiredMarketed · checked 2026-09-20
StatusLimited Use — Reason for Use code 481 required
Write on scriptLU code 481 (patient must meet the criteria below)
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.
Ontario Limited Use criteria — code 481
Reason for Use code 481 For the management of patients receiving palliative care*. Coverage limit: LU Authorization Period: 1 year Coverage limit: *The patient must have a progressive life-limiting illness and require this medication for palliative purposes.
No interchangeable product listed in the Ontario extract
Phenobarbital Injection · DIN 02304090 Manufacturer: Sandoz Canada Inc.; listing date 2018-01-31 Health Canada: Marketed since 2008-02-29 · brand PHENOBARBITAL SODIUM INJECTION, USP · ATC N03AA02 PHENOBARBITAL · form Solution · route Intramuscular, Intravenous · ingredients PHENOBARBITAL SODIUM 120 MG/ML · company Sandoz canada incorporated · schedule Controlled drugs (cdsa iv)
Check this DIN again · Health Canada product record

Phenobarbital Injection: Formulary list price $15.7000/unit (unit not stated in source; not the patient's cost)

Ministry pays: $15.7000 per source unit.

Source explanation: The formulary price is what ODB pays; the cash price at the counter is set by the pharmacy.

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=78940 · Verify on the e-Formulary ↗ (DIN 02304090)

Source record
DIN 02304090: Phenobarbital Injection Raw flags: sec12=Y, sec3=Y Item: 281200073; group id 438; item number 1096; lccId 00294; manufacturer id SDZ Source form: Inj Sol-1mL Pk; strength: 120mg/mL Recorded listing: Limited Use: paid only with a Reason for Use code and the criteria below Source prices (unrounded): $15.7000; ministry $15.7000 Source: ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26 DIN=02304090 Health Canada DPD extract of Sep 2, 2026 (Open Government Licence – Canada) · https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info?lang=eng&code=78940
Shortage status: not checked (no credentials)
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, VALPROIC ACID 28:12 Anticonvulsants

PRIMIDONE

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

DIVALPROEX SODIUM

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

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

VALPROATE SODIUM

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

VALPROIC ACID

· 5 products · Listed, not a benefit (2), General benefit (3) · strengths: 250mg, 500mg · Cap, Ent Cap

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.
What the Health Canada label says it is for
INDICATIONS As a sedative, for the relief of anxiety, tension and apprehension. As a hypnotic, for the short-term management of insomnia. As an anticonvulsant, for the long-term treatment of generalized tonicoclonic and partial (cortical focal) seizures. As prophylaxis and treatment of febrile seizures. As an antihyperbilirubinemic, for the prevention and treatment of hyperbilirubinemia in neonates, also to lower bilirubin concentrations in patients with congenital non-hemolytic unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia or chronic intrahepatic cholestasis. https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00085981.PDF PM date: SEP 04, 2026 Source product: PMS-PHENOBARBITAL; DIN 00178799; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph posted by Health Canada; excerpt for lookup only.