Drug Database

Express Scripts Canada offers its customers access to a comprehensive database of drug identification numbers (DINs), drug prices, generic interchangeability, and regulatory schedules.

Express Scripts Canada maintains a comprehensive database of prices for drug claims in Canada. The Drug Database team is dedicated to inputting and reviewing current pricing to ensure that claims are paid correctly. Price information for each DIN is maintained in all provinces and territories where the drug is available.

The applicable provincial formulary is referenced as the first source of pricing, followed by the major wholesaler’s price guide for the province or territory. Manufacturer’s pricing is used as the third source. Each DIN has a unit price to reflect the price expressed in multiple ways – per tablet, per capsule, per gram, per millilitre, etc. Where provincial regulations determine interchangeability, a low generic price is also shown for the DIN.

General product information for each DIN is obtained from Health Canada’s Notices of Compliance. The therapeutic class, provincial formulary (senior’s) eligibility, and other fields specific to plan set-up and Drug Utilization Review are also shown in the database.

Pricing information is updated following each provincial formulary update. At a minimum, wholesaler pricing for each province is reviewed and updated semi-annually. In almost every year, the majority of updates are performed quarterly. Extensive quality assurance checks have been incorporated in the update processes for the database to help ensure that the information shown is complete and accurate to allow for appropriate reimbursement of drug claims.

Learn more about how Express Scripts Canada drug price files are updated.