ArticleCMAJ open
Extent of a valsartan drug shortage and its effect on antihypertensive drug use in the Canadian population: a national cross-sectional study.
Article in CMAJ open. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 21 citations in OpenAlex.
- The consequences of medicine shortages on healthcare utilization and care fragmentation.The European journal of health economics : HEPAC : health economics in prevention and care · 2026Article
- Universal Free Contraception Coverage Policy, Out-of-Pocket Payments, and Costs.JAMA health forum · 2026Article
- Adherence, Switches, and Drug Spending After Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Recalls and Shortages.JAMA health forum · 2025Article
- Universal Pharmacare and Contraceptive Dispensations Among Youth.JAMA pediatrics · 2025Article
- Effect of universal no-cost coverage on use of long-acting reversible contraception and all prescription contraception: population based, controlled, interrupted time series analysis.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2025Article
- Changes in blood pressure, medication adherence, and cardiovascular-related health care use associated with the 2018 angiotensin receptor blocker recalls and drug shortages among patients with hypertension.Journal of managed care & specialty pharmacy · 2025Article
- Perceptions, attitudes and experiences of hospital pharmacists working in the private sector regarding drug shortage in Lebanon: a national cross-sectional study.Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice · 2025Article
- Addressing Drug Shortages at Mediclinic Parkview Hospital: A Five-Year Study of Challenges, Impact, and Strategies.Cureus · 2024Article
- A Retrospective Cohort Study of the 2018 Angiotensin Receptor Blocker Recalls and Subsequent Drug Shortages in Patients With Hypertension.Journal of the American Heart Association · 2024Article
- Major Shifts in Acid Suppression Drug Utilization After the 2019 Ranitidine Recalls in Canada and United States.Digestive diseases and sciences · 2023Article
- The inadvertent consequences of drug recalls: A case study of a recall of pantoprazole generics from the markets.Saudi pharmaceutical journal : SPJ : the official publication of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society · 2023Article
- Article
- Early observations of Tier-3 drug shortages on purchasing trends across Canada: A cross-sectional analysis of 3 case-example drugs.PloS one · 2023Article
- Development and validation of the nomogram to predict the risk of hospital drug shortages: A prediction model.PloS one · 2023Article
- COVID-19 and the prevalence of drug shortages in Canada: a cross-sectional time-series analysis from April 2017 to April 2022.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDrug shortages represent a growing global problem, with potentially serious consequences to patients and the health care system. Our study investigates the impacts of a major recall and shortage of valsartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), in July 2018 in Canada.
methodsWe conducted a time-series analysis of antihypertensive drugs dispensed in Canada between 2015 and 2019 using commercially available retail prescription data. Using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modelling, we evaluated the change in valsartan use after the recall. We also measured the overall use of ARBs, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and other antihypertensive drug classes for the same period.
resultsAfter the recall in July 2018, valsartan use decreased 57.8%, from 362 231 prescriptions dispensed in June 2018 to 152 892 in September 2018 (difference = 209 339,
interpretationOur findings illustrate the impact of a major drug shortage, with the immediate and substantial reduction of valsartan dispensed and cascading effects on other ARBs, though future research is warranted to understand the consequences of such extensive shortages on clinical outcomes and health system costs. Improved policy strategies are needed to address the underlying causes of drug shortages and to mitigate their effects.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.