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

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CLARITHROMYCIN

All products: general benefit

Other products in the same Health Canada class (J01FA) — coverage varies; not interchangeable

  • Azithromycin (Zithromax): general benefit, Limited Use 549, Not a benefit
  • Erythromycin base (Erythromid): general benefit, Not a benefit
  • Erythromycin estolate (Ilosone): general benefit, Not a benefit
  • Erythromycin ethylsuccinate (Ees-200): general benefit, Not a benefit

Clarithromycin · DIN 02466120 · 250mg · tablet

General benefitMarketed · checked 2026-09-19
StatusGeneral benefit
Write on scriptno code needed
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.
Brand vs generic price
Lowest DBP recovery rule under medically necessary no-substitution claims: 6.2 Medically Necessary "No Substitution" Claims The Side Effect Reporting Form will not have to be renewed. However, the pharmacy must maintain a copy of the prescription that contains a direction that there be no substitution and the required Health Canada Side Effect Reporting Form (completed and signed by the prescriber). The prescriber must write “No Substitution” or “No Sub” on renewal or subsequent new written prescriptions, and indicate “No Substitution” on subsequent new oral prescriptions. The dispenser will be reimbursed the DBP plus a mark-up and the lesser of the posted usual and customary fee or the ODB dispensing fee minus the applicable ODB co-payment amount. Where a completed Side Effect Reporting Form is not available at the pharmacy during an inspection, the difference between the cost of the higher-cost product and the lowest DBP listed for the interchangeable category will be recovered. (ontario.ca, Revision #17; 2026-08-03 ↗) 6.2 Medically Necessary "No Substitution" Claims The Ministry will provide reimbursement of a higher-cost interchangeable product in medically necessary circumstances where a patient has experienced a significant adverse reaction with two (2) lower-cost interchangeable drug products, where available. When a prescriber identifies a patient for which it is medically necessary that a higher cost interchangeable product be provided, the prescriber must: • Complete, sign and forward to the pharmacist a copy of the Health Canada side effect reporting form for each lower-cost interchangeable drug product trialed (Side Effect Reporting Form[s]); and • Write “No Substitution” or “No Sub” on a written prescription or indicate “No Substitution” to the pharmacist in the case of a verbal prescription. The prescriber should keep a copy of the completed form in the patient’s record for future use and reference. In the case of a written prescription, when the pharmacist or dispensing physician receives a prescription with the written notation “No Substitution” or “No Sub”, reimbursement will be provided for the higher-cost interchangeable product only if the prescription is accompanied by a completed Health Canada Side Effect Reporting Form for each of the lower-cost interchangeable drug products trialed. This form must be completely filled out noting the details of the adverse reaction and signed by the prescriber. In the case of a verbal prescription, the prescriber must satisfy the operator of the pharmacy or dispensing physician that a completed Health Canada Side Effect Reporting Form for each of the lower-cost interchangeable drug products trialed has been completed and signed by the prescriber. A written record of this verbal prescription and the completed Health Canada Side Effect Reporting Form must be received by the pharmacy prior to claim submission. Upon receipt, the pharmacist must: • Fax, submit online or mail the completed and signed form to Health Canada’s Canada Vigilance Program; and • Retain his or her copy of the completed and signed Side Effect Reporting Form. (ontario.ca, Revision #17; 2026-08-03 ↗)
1 brand, same coverage
Clarithromycin · DIN 02466120 Manufacturer: Sanis Health Inc.; listing date 2020-04-30 Daily cost (source): $0.8244 Health Canada: Marketed since 2021-07-28 · brand CLARITHROMYCIN · ATC J01FA09 CLARITHROMYCIN · form Tablet · route Oral · ingredients CLARITHROMYCIN 250 MG · company Sanis health inc · schedule Prescription
Check this DIN again · Health Canada product record

Clarithromycin: Formulary list price $0.4122/unit (unit not stated in source; not the patient's cost)

Ministry pays: $0.4122 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=95443 · Verify on the e-Formulary ↗ (DIN 02466120)

Source record
DIN 02466120: Clarithromycin Raw flags: sec3=Y Item: 081212020; group id 21; item number 0035; lccId None; manufacturer id SAI Source form: Tab; strength: 250mg Recorded listing: General benefit Source prices (unrounded): $0.4122; ministry $0.4122 Source: ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26 DIN=02466120 Health Canada DPD extract of Sep 2, 2026 (Open Government Licence – Canada) · https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info?lang=eng&code=95443
Interchangeable products
Apo-Clarithromycin · DIN 02274744 · $0.4122 Biaxin BID · DIN 01984853 · $0.4122 Clarithromycin · DIN 02442469 · $0.4122 M-Clarithromycin · DIN 02471388 · $0.4122 PMS-Clarithromycin · DIN 02247573 · $0.4122 Ran-Clarithromycin · DIN 02361426 · $0.4122 Sandoz Clarithromycin · DIN 02266539 · $0.4122 Teva-Clarithromycin · DIN 02248804 · $0.4122
Shortage status: not checked (no credentials)
Other drugs in the same formulary class (08:12:12 Erythromycins) and how they are covered

Matched class: 08:12:12 Erythromycins

Drug-class inventory only. Lists recorded Ontario formulary products, not every Canadian medication; does not recommend treatment. Some products covered without a code (check the product listing): AZITHROMYCIN, ERYTHROMYCIN BASE, ERYTHROMYCIN ESTOLATE, ERYTHROMYCIN ETHYLSUCCINATE 08:12:12 Erythromycins

AZITHROMYCIN

· 28 products · Listed, not a benefit (6), General benefit (21), Limited Use, codes 549 (1) · strengths: 100mg/5mL, 200mg/5mL, 250mg, 600mg · O/L-15mL Pk, O/L-22.5mL Pk, O/L-37.5mL Pk, Tab

ERYTHROMYCIN BASE

· 2 products · Listed, not a benefit (1), General benefit (1) · strengths: 250mg · Tab

ERYTHROMYCIN ESTOLATE

· 2 products · Listed, not a benefit (1), General benefit (1) · strengths: 50mg/mL · O/L

ERYTHROMYCIN ETHYLSUCCINATE

· 4 products · Listed, not a benefit (2), General benefit (2) · strengths: 40mg/mL, 80mg/mL · O/L Source: formulary-ed43-front-matter.txt Part V; ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26; class 08:12:12
Full class listing Related classes: 08:12:04 Antifungals, 08:12:07 Carbapenems, 08:12:16 Penicillins, 08:12:24 Tetracyclines, 08:12:28 Other Antibiotics, 08:14:08 Azoles Same formulary class, not same indication: class membership alone does not establish equivalent uses.
Other drugs whose Health Canada label lists a similar indication: infections
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. No displayed matched alternative is a general benefit. CIPROFLOXACIN AND DEXAMETHASONE · Limited Use, codes 509 INDICATIONS AND CLINICAL USE CIPRODEX® (ciprofloxacin/dexamethasone otic suspension) is indicated for the treatment of infections caused by most strains of the designated microorganisms in the specific conditions listed below: Acute Otitis Media with Otorrhea through tympanostomy tubes in pediatric patients ≥ 6 months of age due to: Aerobic, Gram-Positive: Streptococcus pneumoniae Staphylococcus aureus Aerobic, Gram-Negative: Haemophilus influenza Moraxella catarrhalis Pseudomonas aeruginosa Acute Otitis Externa in adults and pediatric patients ≥ 1 year of age due to: Aerobic, Gram-Positive: Staphylococcus aureus Aerobic, Gram-Negative: Pseudomonas aeruginosa To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of CIPRODEX and other antibacterial drugs, CIPRODEX should be used only to treat infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. PM: https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00041611.PDF; date September 27, 2017; DIN 02252716; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph TETRACYCLINE · Listed, not a benefit (1), General benefit (1) Indications TETRACYCLINE (tetracycline hydrochloride capsules) is indicated for infections caused by the following microorganisms: • Rickettsiae (Rocky Mountain spotted fever, typhus fever and the typhus group, Q fever, rickettsialpox, tick fevers), M. pneumoniae (PPLO, Eaton agent), agents of psittacosis and ornithosis, agents of L. venereum and G. inguinale, and the spirochetal agent of relapsing fever (B. recurrentis). PM: https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00084169.PDF; date 2026-03-17; DIN 00580929; 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 BIAXIN BID® (clarithromycin tablets USP, film-coated) BIAXIN BID® may be indicated in the treatment of mild to moderate infections caused by susceptible strains of the designated microorganisms in the diseases listed below: • Upper Respiratory Tract • Pharyngiitis/tonsillitis, caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci). • Acute maxillary sinusitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae), Haemophilus influenzae (H. influenzae), and Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis [M. (Branhamella) catarrhalis]. • Lower Respiratory Tract • Acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis caused by S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae (including beta-lactamase producing strains), M. (Branhamella) catarrhalis (including beta- lactamase producing strains). • Pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae and Mycoplasma. pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae). See WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS, Susceptibility/Resistance. • Uncomplicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections • Uncomplicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes), Staphylococcus aureus… https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00078094.PDF PM date: DEC 17, 2024 Source product: BIAXIN BID; DIN 01984853; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph posted by Health Canada; excerpt for lookup only.