Drugs and Vaccines

Photo by Hans Reniers on Unsplash

For questions about drugs and vaccines, use these resources, talk to your local pharmacist or, if you require overnight assistance, call 8-1-1 and ask to speak with a pharmacist (available from 5pm to 9am every night of the week).

Drug Directories

Drugs in Canada require a prescription are regulated under the Food and Drug Regulations.

DrugBank.ca

Encyclopedia of drugs supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Drugs.com

Find drugs and conditions. Content provided by Mayo Clinic.

MedlinePlus - Drugs, Herbs and Supplements

Learn about your prescription drugs, herbs, and over-the-counter medicines. Includes side effects, dosage, special precautions, and more.

Merck Manual - Drugs by Name, Generic and Brand

Search for information on drugs by name, generic, and brand.

Health Canada - Drug Product Database

Database of active and discontinued drugs in Canada, including human pharmaceutical and biological drugs, veterinary drugs, and disinfectant products.

Drug Shortages Canada

Find out which drugs are currently in short supply.

NCBI - PubChem

Look up individual chemicals components on the National Center for Biotechnology Information's (NCBI) online database.

Vaccines and Immunization

HealthLinkBC - Immunization Schedules

Find individual immunization schedules for different age groups and individuals at high risk from provincial health authorities.

Health Canada - Vaccines and Immunization

Vaccination during pregnancy, for children, for adults, travel vaccines, and information for health professionals from the Government of Canada.

Immunize BC

Find information about Covid-19 and influenza vaccines in British Columbia.

Safety Advisories

MedEffect Canada

Check here for drug advisories, warnings, and recalls in Canada. Use the Adverse Reactions Database to search for and report adverse reactions and side effects.

Health Product Recalls and Safety Alerts

Check here for any products that have been recalled by the federal government.

Health Canada - Counterfeit Prescription Drugs

Counterfeit drugs are drugs not approved by Health Canada. Check here for information on how to identify and avoid these prescription medications.

Drug Interaction Checker

Check here to see if the drugs you are taking interact with other prescriptions, food, or illness.

Pharmaceutical Regulations

Health Canada - Drugs and Medication

Information on laws and regulations pertaining to drugs in Canada, as well as procedures for licensing and production.

Food and Drugs Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. F-27)

The main act governing prescription drugs in Canada.

Frequently Asked Questions

I need the CPS.

You can access Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties (CPS) in print at the Central Library.

The following drug information can be found in the CPS or Medline Plus.

General Information
Side Effects
Drug interactions - also try using the Drug Interactions Checker
Interactions between food, herbs, supplements and drugs - also try Reference Shelf's Complimentary and Alternative Medicine

How do I find out the generic name for the drug I am taking?

Try searching the Merck Manuals Consumer Version.

At what age(s) do I need to vaccinate my child? What are these vaccinations for?

Go to HealthLinkBC's BC Immunization Schedules page.

Digital Library Resources

Consumer Health

This database offers international coverage on a wide range of public health topics.

Access:

Everywhere for Vancouver residents

Gale Ebooks

Thousands of high quality, full-text, downloadable encyclopedias, handbooks, dictionaries and travel ebooks. *Also suitable for research at the elementary, high school and undergraduate levels.

Access:

Everywhere for VPL cardholders

Health & Medical Collection

This resource offers comprehensive medical information for students, healthcare professionals and researchers. The content is built on a core of premier scholarly journals such as: The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet and The British Medical Journal.

Access:

Everywhere for Vancouver residents

Medline Plus

Consumer friendly health information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Includes information on prescription drugs, non-prescription drugs and common medical conditions.

Access:

Everywhere for everyone

Science

It is the world’s leading journal of original scientific research, global news, and commentary. Only accessible at the Central Branch.

Access:

At some VPL locations only

Recommended Titles

Canadian Pharmacists Association guide to drugs in Canada

Raman-Wilms, Lalitha Canadian Pharmacists Association

615.1 C212r3

2013

Jargon-free guide and indispensable for all Canadians wanting to take charge of their own health, this invaluable reference make it easy to keep abreast of over 2000 medications currently available in this country.

Health Information

Drug Directories

Vaccines and Immunization

Safety Advisories

Pharmaceutical Regulations