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

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TIZANIDINE HCL

All products: not a benefit

Other products in the same Health Canada class (M03B, M03BX) — coverage varies; not interchangeable

  • Baclofen (Lioresal Intrathecal): general benefit, Not a benefit
  • Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril): not a benefit
  • Orphenadrine (Norflex): not a benefit

Mint-Tizanidine · DIN 02536765 · 4mg · tablet

Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefitMarketed · checked 2026-09-02
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.

Ministry criteria list dated January 1, 2025; the program's current criteria may differ; SADIE shows the current version. Current criteria in SADIE

Coverage criteria
Exceptional Access criteria on record are for Brand(s): Zanaflex; DOSAGE FORM/ STRENGTH: 4 mg tablet — not this product; no criteria on record for this product in this block. Exceptional Access Program criteria on record (ministry list dated 2025-01-01, not exhaustive): Ministry criteria list dated January 1, 2025; the program's current criteria may differ; SADIE shows the current version. https://www.ontario.ca/page/sadie-special-authorization-digital-information-exchange Tizanidine Brand(s): Zanaflex DOSAGE FORM/ STRENGTH: 4 mg tablet For the treatment of spasticity in patients who have failed and/or cannot tolerate at least two of the following available alternatives: baclofen, diazepam and dantrolene. • Submission must describe the intolerance experienced. Duration of Approval: Lifetime EAP source: eap-frequently-requested-drugs-2025-01-01.txt, page 459, record 295, corpus 2025-01-01; name match only, not an eligibility decision
1 brand, same coverage
Mint-Tizanidine · DIN 02536765 Manufacturer: Mint Pharmaceuticals Inc.; listing date 2023-12-29 Health Canada: Marketed since 2023-09-07 · brand MINT-TIZANIDINE · ATC M03BX02 TIZANIDINE · form Tablet · route Oral · ingredients TIZANIDINE (TIZANIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE) 4 MG · company Mint pharmaceuticals inc · schedule Prescription
Check this DIN again · Health Canada product record

Mint-Tizanidine: Formulary list price $0.8758/unit (unit not stated in source; not the patient's cost)

Ministry pays: $0.8758 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=102551 · Verify on the e-Formulary ↗ (DIN 02536765)

Source record
The source extract's flag for this DIN is unclear — confirm on the e-Formulary before prescribing (DIN 02536765). DIN 02536765: Mint-Tizanidine Raw flags: sec3=Y, sec3b=Y, sec3bEAP=Y Item: 122000025; group id 244; item number 0435; lccId None; manufacturer id MIN Source form: Tab; strength: 4mg Recorded listing: Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit; may be reimbursed through the Exceptional Access Program when approved (likely, unconfirmed) Source prices (unrounded): $0.8758; ministry $0.8758 Source: ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26 DIN=02536765 Health Canada DPD extract of Sep 2, 2026 (Open Government Licence – Canada) · https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info?lang=eng&code=102551
Interchangeable products
Apo-Tizanidine · DIN 02259893 · $0.8758 Zanaflex · DIN 02239170 · not recorded
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=02536765
Shortage record checked 2026-09-13T08:10:21.292534+00:00
Other drugs in the same formulary class (12:20 Skeletal Muscle Relaxants) and how they are covered

Matched class: 12:20 Skeletal Muscle Relaxants

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: DANTROLENE SODIUM Some products covered without a code (check the product listing): BACLOFEN 12:20 Skeletal Muscle Relaxants

BACLOFEN

· 28 products · Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit (12), General benefit (16) · strengths: 2mg/mL, 0.05mg/mL, 0.5mg/mL, 10mg, 20mg · Inj Sol (Preservative-Free), Inj Sol-1mL Pk (Preservative-Free), Inj Sol-20mL Pk (Preservative-Free), Tab

CYCLOBENZAPRINE HCL

· 12 products · Listed, not a benefit · strengths: 10mg · Tab

ORPHENADRINE CITRATE

· 2 products · Listed, not a benefit · strengths: 60mg/2mL · Inj Sol-2mL Pk

DANTROLENE SODIUM

· 1 products · General benefit · strengths: 25mg · Cap Source: formulary-ed43-front-matter.txt Part V; ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26; class 12:20
Full class listing Related classes: 12:04 Parasympathomimetic (Cholinergic) Agents, 12:08 Parasympatholytic (Cholinergic Blocking) Agents, 12:12 Sympathomimetic (Adrenergic) Agents 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 Adults: APO-TIZANIDINE (tizanidine tablets) is a short-acting drug indicated for: • the management of spasticity. 1.1. Pediatrics Pediatrics (< 18 years of age): No data are available to Health Canada; therefore, Health Canada has not authorized an indication for pediatric use. 1.2. Geriatrics Geriatrics (≥ 65 years of age): Evidence from clinical studies and experience suggests that use in the geriatric population may be associated with differences in safety or effectiveness. See 7.1.4 Geriatrics. https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00082729.PDF PM date: 2025-12-11 Source product: APO-TIZANIDINE; DIN 02259893; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph posted by Health Canada; excerpt for lookup only.

Prepare an Exceptional Access request

SADIE has its own form for many drugs; this checklist prepares the answers; the ministry decides. Open SADIE

Use this text in SADIE’s free-text fields or read from it on a Telephone Request Service call. Review marks do not indicate eligibility. Evidence stays in this page until you copy it; nothing entered here is sent or saved. Do not enter patient identifiers.

EAP Telephone Request Service: The TRS can be accessed by calling toll-free at 1-866-811-9893 or 416-327-8109 (Toronto area) between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (except holidays) and selecting the TRS option. Source; updated September 15, 2026

EAP fax: In Ontario: 1-866-811-9908 or 416-327-7526 (Toronto area). Outside Ontario: 1-833-905-4260. Source; updated September 15, 2026

Posted turnaround and Telephone Request Service scope
Turnaround times The Exceptional Access Program receives between 250 and 500 requests a day. Requests are categorized in order of priority based on how quickly a drug is needed, the type of drug, and the condition for which the drug is being used. Turnaround times begin on the business day on which the EAP receives a complete request from a physician or nurse practitioner. You may have to wait longer if the request is missing information or supporting documents required by the EAP criteria, if a request requires external review, or if documents are sent by fax or mail instead of submitted via SADIE. EAP Weekly Progress Report Date: September 15, 2026 Processing categories and examples | Target | Current | Priority 1 — for drugs such as antibiotics, cancer medications, and initial requests for pain medications | 3 business days | 2 business day | Priority 2 — for antiviral drugs to treat HIV, drugs for multiple sclerosis, and pulmonary hypertension | 5 business days | 3 business days | Biologics — for biologic drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease | 10 business days | 4 business days | Chronic — for drugs used for chronic conditions such as migraines, chronic pain, Ménière's disease and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. | 4 to 6 weeks | 11 business days |
For selected drugs, the Telephone Request Service is available to authorized prescribers or their delegates. In most cases, the funding decision is provided by the end of the call and processed within one business day.
Source; updated September 15, 2026

Tizanidine (Zanaflex)

Ministry criteria list dated January 1, 2025; the program's current criteria may differ; SADIE shows the current version. Current criteria in SADIE

Prepare answers: For the treatment of spasticity in patients who have failed and/or cannot tolerate at least two of the following available alternatives: baclofen, diazepam and dantrolene.

Ministry criteria corpus 2025-01-01; page 459

Tizanidine Brand(s): Zanaflex DOSAGE FORM/ STRENGTH: 4 mg tablet
For the treatment of spasticity in patients who have failed and/or cannot tolerate at least two of the following available alternatives: baclofen, diazepam and dantrolene.
• Submission must describe the intolerance experienced.
Duration of Approval: Lifetime

Prepared from the ministry's published criteria; eligibility is decided by the Exceptional Access Program.

Other review policies

For Mint-Tizanidine: 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