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

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DEFERIPRONE

All products: not a benefit

Other products in the same Health Canada class (V03AC) — coverage varies; not interchangeable

  • Deferasirox (Jadenu): general benefit

Taro-Deferiprone · DIN 02553112 · 1000mg · 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): Ferriprox; DOSAGE FORM/ STRENGTH: 1000 mg Tablet; 1000 mg MR tablet; 100 mg/mL oral — 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 Deferiprone Brand(s): Ferriprox DOSAGE FORM/ STRENGTH: 1000 mg Tablet; 1000 mg MR tablet; 100 mg/mL oral solution Effective date: October 17, 2016 Updated: August 30, 2017(oral solution); February 7, 2024 (MR tab) For the treatment of patients with transfusional iron overload due to thalassemia syndromes who cannot be adequately treated with deferoxamine or deferasirox. Notes: Combination iron chelation therapy with Ferriprox will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Therapy should be initiated and maintained by physicians experienced in the treatment of chronic iron overload due to blood transfusions. Duration of Approval: 5 years Renewals will be considered for Patients who continue to require iron chelation therapy and has had a consistent response to therapy (demonstrated by a reduction in baseline liver iron concentration (LIC) levels). The following documentation is required: • A transfusion record from the past year; and • LIC levels – baseline (pre-treatment) and since initiation of treatment. The most recent LIC level should be from within the previous year. Duration of Approval: 5 years 78 EAP source: eap-frequently-requested-drugs-2025-01-01.txt, page 78, record 47, corpus 2025-01-01; name match only, not an eligibility decision
1 brand, same coverage
Taro-Deferiprone · DIN 02553112 Manufacturer: Taro Pharmaceuticals Inc.; listing date 2025-03-31 Health Canada: Marketed since 2025-03-03 · brand TARO-DEFERIPRONE · ATC V03AC02 DEFERIPRONE · form Tablet · route Oral · ingredients DEFERIPRONE 1000 MG · company Taro pharmaceuticals inc · schedule Prescription
Check this DIN again · Health Canada product record

Taro-Deferiprone: Formulary list price $18.4107/unit (unit not stated in source; not the patient's cost)

Ministry pays: $18.4107 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=104207 · Verify on the e-Formulary ↗ (DIN 02553112)

Source record
The source extract's flag for this DIN is unclear — confirm on the e-Formulary before prescribing (DIN 02553112). DIN 02553112: Taro-Deferiprone Raw flags: sec3=Y, sec3b=Y, sec3bEAP=Y Item: 640000020; group id 701; item number 1733; lccId None; manufacturer id TAR Source form: Tab; strength: 1000mg Recorded listing: Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit; may be reimbursed through the Exceptional Access Program when approved (likely, unconfirmed) Source prices (unrounded): $18.4107; ministry $18.4107 Source: ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26 DIN=02553112 Health Canada DPD extract of Sep 2, 2026 (Open Government Licence – Canada) · https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info?lang=eng&code=104207
Interchangeable products
Ferriprox · DIN 02436558 · $18.4107
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=02553112
Shortage record checked 2026-09-13T08:10:21.292534+00:00
Other drugs in the same formulary class (64:00 HEAVY METAL ANTAGONISTS) and how they are covered

Matched class: 64:00 HEAVY METAL ANTAGONISTS

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: DEFERASIROX, PENICILLAMINE 64:00 HEAVY METAL ANTAGONISTS

DEFERASIROX

· 30 products · General benefit · strengths: 90mg, 180mg, 360mg, 125mg, 250mg, 500mg · Tab, Tab for Susp

PENICILLAMINE

· 1 products · General benefit · strengths: 250mg · Cap Source: formulary-ed43-front-matter.txt Part V; ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26; class 64:00
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 FERRIPROX and FERRIPROX MR (deferiprone) are indicated for: • the treatment of patients with transfusional iron overload due to thalassemia syndromes when current chelation therapy is inadequate. • the treatment of patients with transfusional iron overload due to sickle cell disease or other anemias Safety and effectiveness have not been established for the treatment of transfusional iron overload in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome or in patients with Diamond Blackfan anemia. FERRIPROX and FERRIPROX MR are available only through a controlled distribution program called FERRIPROX Assist. Under this program, only physicians and pharmacists registered with the program are able to prescribe and dispense the product. In addition, FERRIPROX and FERRIPROX MR can be dispensed only to patients who are registered with and meet the conditions of the FERRIPROX Assist program. Please call 1-844-347-7200 or log onto ferriproxassist.ca. 1.1 Pediatrics Pediatrics (1-15 years of age): Based on the data submitted to and reviewed by Health Canada, the safety and efficacy of FERRIPROX in pediatric patients (1-15 years of age) with thalassemia syn… https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00070077.PDF PM date: March 29, 2023 Source product: FERRIPROX; DIN 02436558; 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

Deferiprone (Ferriprox)

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 patients with transfusional iron overload due to thalassemia syndromes who cannot be adequately treated with deferoxamine or deferasirox.

Ministry criteria corpus 2025-01-01; page 78

Deferiprone Brand(s): Ferriprox DOSAGE FORM/ STRENGTH: 1000 mg Tablet; 1000 mg MR tablet; 100 mg/mL oral solution Effective date: October 17, 2016 Updated: August 30, 2017(oral solution); February 7, 2024 (MR tab)
For the treatment of patients with transfusional iron overload due to thalassemia syndromes who cannot be adequately treated with deferoxamine or deferasirox.
Notes:
Combination iron chelation therapy with Ferriprox will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Therapy should be initiated and maintained by physicians experienced in the treatment of chronic iron overload due to blood transfusions.
Duration of Approval: 5 years
Renewals will be considered for Patients who continue to require iron chelation therapy and has had a consistent response to therapy (demonstrated by a reduction in baseline liver iron concentration (LIC) levels).
The following documentation is required:
• A transfusion record from the past year; and
• LIC levels – baseline (pre-treatment) and since initiation of treatment. The most recent LIC level should be from within the previous year.
Duration of Approval: 5 years
78

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

Other review policies

For Taro-Deferiprone: 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