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

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ACARBOSE

All products: Limited Use (codes 175, 176)

Other products in the same Health Canada class (A10B) — coverage varies; not interchangeable

  • Canagliflozin (Invokana): general benefit
  • Dapagliflozin (Forxiga): general benefit
  • Dapagliflozin + metformin (Xigduo): general benefit
  • Empagliflozin (Jardiance): general benefit
  • Empagliflozin + metformin (Synjardy): general benefit
  • Gliclazide (Diamicron MR): general benefit, Not a benefit

12 more in the class list below

Mar-Acarbose · DIN 02494078 · 50mg · tablet

Limited Use — Reason for Use code 175, 176 requiredMarketed · checked 2026-09-19
StatusLimited Use — Reason for Use code 175, 176 required
Write on scriptLU code 175, 176 (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 175, 176
Coverage limit: For the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM): Reason for Use code 175 In patients who cannot tolerate or have failed treatment with other oral hypoglycemic agents or in whom other oral hypoglycemic agents are contraindicated; Coverage limit: LU Authorization Period: Indefinite Reason for Use code 176 In patients who require combination therapy with more than one oral hypoglycemic agent to control their serum glucose concentrations. Coverage limit: LU Authorization Period: Indefinite
1 brand, same coverage
Mar-Acarbose · DIN 02494078 Manufacturer: Marcan Pharmaceuticals Inc.; listing date 2020-03-31 Health Canada: Marketed since 2020-02-05 · brand MAR-ACARBOSE · ATC A10BF01 ACARBOSE · form Tablet · route Oral · ingredients ACARBOSE 50 MG · company Marcan pharmaceuticals inc · schedule Prescription
Check this DIN again · Health Canada product record

Mar-Acarbose: Formulary list price $0.1482/unit (unit not stated in source; not the patient's cost)

Ministry pays: $0.1482 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=98410 · Verify on the e-Formulary ↗ (DIN 02494078)

Source record
DIN 02494078: Mar-Acarbose Raw flags: chronicUseMed=Y, insOH=Y, sec12=Y, sec3=Y Item: 682002011; group id 739; item number 1807; lccId 00113; manufacturer id MAR Source form: Tab; strength: 50mg Recorded listing: Limited Use: paid only with a Reason for Use code and the criteria below; chronic-use medication (100-day supply rule, dispensing-fee limit); diabetes medication flag Source prices (unrounded): $0.1482; ministry $0.1482 Source: ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26 DIN=02494078 Health Canada DPD extract of Sep 2, 2026 (Open Government Licence – Canada) · https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info?lang=eng&code=98410
Interchangeable products
Glucobay · DIN 02190885 · not recorded
Shortage status: not checked (no credentials)
Other drugs in the same formulary class (68:20:02 Oral Anti-Diabetic Agents) and how they are covered

Matched class: 68:20:02 Oral Anti-Diabetic 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: CANAGLIFLOZIN, DAPAGLIFLOZIN, DAPAGLIFLOZIN & METFORMIN, EMPAGLIFLOZIN, EMPAGLIFLOZIN & METFORMIN, LINAGLIPTIN, LINAGLIPTIN & METFORMIN, SAXAGLIPTIN, SAXAGLIPTIN & METFORMIN, SITAGLIPTIN, SITAGLIPTIN & METFORMIN Some products covered without a code (check the product listing): GLICLAZIDE, GLYBURIDE, METFORMIN HCL 68:20:02 Oral Anti-Diabetic Agents

CANAGLIFLOZIN

· 8 products · General benefit · strengths: 100mg, 300mg · Tab

DAPAGLIFLOZIN

· 22 products · General benefit · strengths: 5mg, 10mg · Tab

DAPAGLIFLOZIN & METFORMIN

· 6 products · General benefit · strengths: 5mg & 1000mg, 5mg & 850mg · Tab

EMPAGLIFLOZIN

· 2 products · General benefit · strengths: 10mg, 25mg · Tab

EMPAGLIFLOZIN & METFORMIN

· 6 products · General benefit · strengths: 5mg & 1000mg, 5mg & 500mg, 5mg & 850mg, 12.5mg & 1000mg, 12.5mg & 500mg, 12.5mg & 850mg · Tab

GLICLAZIDE

· 19 products · General benefit (18), Listed, not a benefit (1) · strengths: 60mg, 30mg, 80mg · ER Tab, SR Tab, Tab

GLYBURIDE

· 8 products · General benefit (6), Listed, not a benefit (2) · strengths: 2.5mg, 5mg · Tab

LINAGLIPTIN

· 1 products · General benefit · strengths: 5mg · Tab

LINAGLIPTIN & METFORMIN

· 3 products · General benefit · strengths: 2.5mg & 1000mg, 2.5mg & 500mg, 2.5mg & 850mg · Tab

METFORMIN HCL

· 53 products · Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit (33), General benefit (19), Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit; DIN status E (meaning unconfirmed); confirm discontinuation/availability with Health Canada (1) · strengths: 500mg, 1000mg, 850mg · ER Tab, Tab

SAXAGLIPTIN

· 6 products · General benefit · strengths: 2.5mg, 5mg · Tab

SAXAGLIPTIN & METFORMIN

· 3 products · General benefit · strengths: 2.5mg & 1000mg, 2.5mg & 500mg, 2.5mg & 850mg · Tab Source: formulary-ed43-front-matter.txt Part V; ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26; class 68:20:02 and 6 more
Full class listing Related classes: 68:20:06 Incretin Mimetics, 68:20:10 Insulins (Rapid Acting), 68:20:12 Insulins (Intermediate Acting), 68:20:14 Insulins (Long Acting), 68:20:16 Insulins (Pre-Mixed) Same formulary class, not same indication: class membership alone does not establish equivalent uses.
Other drugs whose Health Canada label lists a similar indication: type 2 diabetes
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. SEMAGLUTIDE · Limited Use, codes 667 (2), Limited Use, codes 666 (2), Limited Use, codes 665 (3), Limited Use, codes 738 (1), Limited Use, codes 662 (1), Limited Use, codes 739 (1), Limited Use, codes 663 (1), Limited Use, codes 740 (1), Limited Use, codes 664 (1), Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit (2) Indications OZEMPIC® is indicated for the once-weekly treatment of adult patients with type 2 diabetes to improve glycemic control, in combination with: • diet and exercise in patients for whom metformin is inappropriate due to contraindication or intolerance. PM: https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00085314.PDF; date 2026-07-13; DIN 02471469; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph Coverage source: ON formulary extract 2026-08-26
What the Health Canada label says it is for
INDICATIONS AND CLINICAL USE • MAR-ACARBOSE (acarbose), as monotherapy, is indicated as an adjunct to prescribed diet for the management of blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are inadequately controlled by diet alone. • MAR-ACARBOSE may also be used in combination with either a sulfonylurea, metformin or insulin to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, who are inadequately controlled on diet, exercise and either a sulfonylurea, metformin or insulin alone. The effect of MAR-ACARBOSE in enhancing glycemic control is additive to that of sulfonylureas, metformin or insulin when used in combination, because of its different mechanism of action. In initiating treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus, diet should be emphasized as the primary form of treatment. Caloric restriction and weight loss are essential in the obese diabetic patient. Proper dietary management alone may be effective in controlling blood glucose and symptoms of hyperglycemia. The importance of regular physical activity when appropriate should also be stressed. If this treatment p… https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00053914.PDF PM date: not printed or not captured Source product: MAR-ACARBOSE; DIN 02494078; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph posted by Health Canada; excerpt for lookup only.