Disruptions in the pharmaceutical supply chain have led to shortages of painkillers across Canada, leaving patients and providers struggling to manage pain effectively. One of the painkillers in question is a combination of acetaminophen and oxycodone. This combination is found in brand medications such as Percocet, which is commonly prescribed to treat the acute and chronic pain that can follow surgical or dental procedures. Many patients rely on this medication for daily pain management and relief.

In Canada, acetaminophen with oxycodone is primarily manufactured and sold by three companies: Teva Canada Limited, Apotex Inc., and Laboratoire Riva Inc. In July 2025, Teva reported a delay in its supply chain, related to an active pharmaceutical ingredient shipment from its supplier, which led to a shortage of the medication. 

This disruption has shifted demand to the other manufacturers of acetaminophen with oxycodone, who have so far been unable to fully compensate for the shortfall. This is because medicine production capacity is finite, and can be difficult to increase on short notice. 

In addition, rising manufacturing costs may affect the number of suppliers for a product, meaning a disruption at one company can trigger a wider shortage; however, limited transparency from manufacturers makes all causes of the shortage difficult to confirm. Other common causes of drug shortages include disruptions in the manufacturing process and increases in product demand.

Inside the shortage 

A drug shortage report from Teva suggests the disruptions began in mid-March 2025. Early updates indicated supply could recover by that September, but Health Canada warned that the acetaminophen-oxycodone supply would remain constrained through November 2025, with improvement expected in December. 

Recent updates from CBC noted that acetaminophen-oxycodone products will continue to experience a shortage stretching into January 2026. As a result, physicians and pharmacists are turning to therapeutic alternatives. Switching to alternatives often requires time-intensive medical reassessment, dose conversion between different painkillers, and additional patient counselling, adding strain to a system which is already stretched thin.

Medicine shortages can also be unpredictable in nature. Availability can shift day-to-day, so it becomes difficult to give patients a firm restock date because it can change quickly. This complicates decisions about whether and when to transition patients to alternative treatments. 

Similarly, Shelita Dattani, Senior Vice President at Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada and a practising pharmacist in Ottawa, reported to Winnipeg Free Press that pharmacies may limit medication fills to 30-day supplies to stretch inventory. Dattani also cautioned that stopping opioids abruptly can trigger withdrawal, so any change in therapy needs careful coordination. 

Additionally, drug shortages raise concerns for patient safety and the risk of counterfeit or substandard products. Health Canada advises patients to use a licensed pharmacy for all medications and only purchase products authorized for sale in Canada. Patients can verify that their pharmacy is licensed by consulting their local regulatory authorities.  

What needs to happen next

Although Health Canada, the Canadian Society of Healthcare-Systems Pharmacy (CSHP), and pharmacists are all working to mitigate the acetaminophen-oxycodone shortage, Canada also needs more proactive and long-term strategies so disruptions do not escalate to this extent. 

Drug shortages are not isolated events — there are typically 1,500–2,000 active shortages at any given time, making preparation for them essential. President Trump’s stated intention for the US to impose 200 per cent tariffs on all pharmaceutical imports has added another layer of uncertainty for the pharmacy sector. 

In response, the CHSP has stated it is meeting regularly with Canadian pharmacy, medical, and industry partners, along with patient representatives, to identify the effects of the tariffs. The CHSP is also working with the federal government to inform policy which protects Canada’s pharmaceutical supply chain from future shortages.

Canada’s acetaminophen-oxycodone shortage reflects a fragile pharmaceutical supply chain, resulting in immediate consequences. With constant drug shortages occurring across the country, Canada needs long-term proactive measures to strengthen supply-chain resilience. In the meantime, the priority at the community level is responsible inventory management, avoiding stockpiling, consulting a doctor or pharmacist about alternatives, and monitoring official updates as the situation evolves.