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MERCAPTOPURINE

All strengths: General benefit; same patient cost rules

Shared coverage and patient cost rules
StatusGeneral benefit
Patient paysPatient pays: program not supplied; amount cannot be determined.

Other products in the same Health Canada class (L01B, L01BB) — coverage varies; not interchangeable

  • Thioguanine (Lanvis): general benefit
  • Fludarabine (Fludara): limited Use 424, 379
  • Capecitabine (Xeloda): general benefit
  • Fluorouracil + salicylic acid (Actikerall): general benefit
  • Methotrexate (Methotrexate Sodium): general benefit, Not a benefit

Mercaptopurine Tablets USP · DIN 02415275 · 50mg · tablet

General benefitMarketed · checked 2026-09-18
Write on scriptno code needed
Private plan unknown: ask. If yes, check its coverage and payer coordination; if no, see the public routes below.
1 brand, same coverage
Mercaptopurine Tablets USP · DIN 02415275 Manufacturer: Sterimax Inc.; listing date 2014-03-27 Health Canada: Marketed since 2013-11-27 · brand MERCAPTOPURINE TABLETS USP · ATC L01BB02 MERCAPTOPURINE · form Tablet · route Oral · ingredients MERCAPTOPURINE 50 MG · company Sterimax inc · schedule Prescription
Check this DIN again · Health Canada product record

Mercaptopurine Tablets USP: Formulary list price $2.8610/unit (unit not stated in source; not the patient's cost)

Ministry pays: $2.8610 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=89989 · Verify on the e-Formulary ↗ (DIN 02415275)

Source record
DIN 02415275: Mercaptopurine Tablets USP Raw flags: sec3=Y Item: 100000018; group id 174; item number 0306; lccId None; manufacturer id STE Source form: Tab; strength: 50mg Recorded listing: General benefit Source prices (unrounded): $2.8610; ministry $2.8610 Source: ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26 DIN=02415275 Health Canada DPD extract of Sep 2, 2026 (Open Government Licence – Canada) · https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info?lang=eng&code=89989 Therapeutic Notes (formulary) Decrease dose of mercaptopurine to 25-33% of initial dose if allopurinol used concomitantly.
Interchangeable products
Purinethol · DIN 00004723 · $2.8610
Shortage status: resolved shortage (ended 2020-04-07); reports as of 2026-09-13T08:10:21.292534+00:00 (Health Product Shortages Canada) Source: https://healthproductshortages.ca/search?term=02415275
Shortage record checked 2026-09-13T08:10:21.292534+00:00

Purinethol · DIN 00004723 · 50mg · tablet

General benefitMarketed · checked 2026-09-18
Write on scriptno code needed
Private plan unknown: ask. If yes, check its coverage and payer coordination; if no, see the public routes below.
1 brand, same coverage
Purinethol · DIN 00004723 Manufacturer: Novopharm Ltd.; listing date 1996-10-01 Health Canada: Marketed since 2014-03-19 · brand PURINETHOL · ATC L01BB02 MERCAPTOPURINE · form Tablet · route Oral · ingredients MERCAPTOPURINE 50 MG · company Teva canada limited · schedule Prescription
Check this DIN again · Health Canada product record

Purinethol: Formulary list price $2.8610/unit (unit not stated in source; not the patient's cost)

Ministry pays: $2.8610 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=960 · Verify on the e-Formulary ↗ (DIN 00004723)

Source record
DIN 00004723: Purinethol Raw flags: sec3=Y Item: 100000018; group id 174; item number 0306; lccId None; manufacturer id NOP Source form: Tab; strength: 50mg Recorded listing: General benefit Source prices (unrounded): $2.8610; ministry $2.8610 Source: ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26 DIN=00004723 Health Canada DPD extract of Sep 2, 2026 (Open Government Licence – Canada) · https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info?lang=eng&code=960 Therapeutic Notes (formulary) Decrease dose of mercaptopurine to 25-33% of initial dose if allopurinol used concomitantly.
Interchangeable products
Mercaptopurine Tablets USP · DIN 02415275 · $2.8610
Shortage status: resolved shortage (ended 2025-12-05); reports as of 2026-09-13T08:10:21.292534+00:00 (Health Product Shortages Canada) Source: https://healthproductshortages.ca/search?term=00004723
Shortage record checked 2026-09-13T08:10:21.292534+00:00
Other drugs in the same formulary class (10:00 ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS) and how they are covered

Matched class: 10:00 ANTINEOPLASTIC 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: ABIRATERONE ACETATE, ALTRETAMINE, ANASTROZOLE, BUSERELIN ACETATE, BUSULFAN, CAPECITABINE, CHLORAMBUCIL, CYPROTERONE ACETATE, DAUNORUBICIN, DEGARELIX ACETATE, ETOPOSIDE, EXEMESTANE, FLUOROURACIL & SALICYLIC ACID, FULVESTRANT, GOSERELIN ACETATE, HYDROXYUREA, IMATINIB MESYLATE, LETROZOLE, LEUPROLIDE ACETATE, MELPHALAN, MITOTANE, PROCARBAZINE HCL, TEMOZOLOMIDE, THIOGUANINE, TRIPTORELIN PAMOATE Some products covered without a code (check the product listing): BICALUTAMIDE, CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE, FLUTAMIDE, LOMUSTINE (CCNU), MEGESTROL ACETATE, METHOTREXATE, TAMOXIFEN CITRATE, VINCRISTINE SULFATE 10:00 ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS

THIOGUANINE

· 1 products · General benefit · strengths: 40mg · Tab

FLUDARABINE PHOSPHATE

· 1 products · Limited Use, codes 424, 379 · strengths: 10mg · Tab

CAPECITABINE

· 15 products · General benefit · strengths: 150mg, 500mg · Tab

FLUOROURACIL & SALICYLIC ACID

· 1 products · General benefit · strengths: 0.5% w/w & 10% w/w · Top Sol

METHOTREXATE

· 34 products · General benefit (29), Listed, not a benefit (1), Off-Formulary Interchangeable, not an ODB benefit (4) · strengths: 20mg/2mL, 50mg/2mL, 10mg/0.2mL, 12.5mg/0.25mL, 15mg/0.3mL, 17.5mg/0.35mL, 20mg/0.4mL, 22.5mg/0.45mL, 25mg/0.5mL, 2.5mg, 10mg · Inj Sol-2mL Pk, Inj Sol-Pref Syr, Tab

ABIRATERONE ACETATE

· 18 products · General benefit · strengths: 250mg, 500mg · Tab

ALTRETAMINE

· 1 products · General benefit · strengths: 50mg · Cap

ANASTROZOLE

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

BICALUTAMIDE

· 9 products · Listed, not a benefit (1), General benefit (8) · strengths: 50mg · Tab

BUSERELIN ACETATE

· 4 products · General benefit · strengths: 6.3mg, 9.45mg, 1mg/mL · Implant Kit, Inj Sol-5.5mL Pk, Nas Sp-10mL Pk

BUSULFAN

· 1 products · General benefit · strengths: 2mg · Tab

CHLORAMBUCIL

· 1 products · General benefit · strengths: 2mg · Tab Source: formulary-ed43-front-matter.txt Part V; ODB odb-formulary-ed43-extract-2026-08-26.xml extract_date=2026-08-26; class 10:00 and 34 more
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 PURINETHOL® (mercaptopurine tablets) is indicated for: • The maintenance therapy of the acute lymphatic (lymphocytic, lymphoblastic) leukemia as part of a combination regimen. Combination therapy with multiple agents has produced results superior to that achieved with mercaptopurine alone. The effectiveness of mercaptopurine in maintenance programs in adult lymphatic leukemia has not been established. PURINETHOL is not effective for prophylaxis or treatment of central nervous system leukemia. PURINETHOL is not effective in acute myelogenous leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the lymphomas (including Hodgkin's Disease), or solid tumors. 1.1 Pediatrics Pediatrics (< 18 years of age): Acute lymphatic leukemia occurring in children responds, in general, more favorably to mercaptopurine than the same disorder occurring in adults (see 7.1.3 Special Populations). 1.2 Geriatrics No specific studies have been carried out in the geriatrics (see 4.2 Recommended Dose and Dosage Adjustment and 7.1.4 Geriatrics). https://pdf.hres.ca/dpd_pm/00070047.PDF PM date: July 09, 2003 Source product: PURINETHOL; DIN 00004723; fetched 2026-09-10 Product monograph posted by Health Canada; excerpt for lookup only.