Sask. doctors could soon run out of drug used to treat COVID patients in ICUs

A type of anti-inflammatory drug used in specific circumstances to treat the sickest patients in ICUs — those who are already intubated and on life support who require high-flow oxygen — is in short supply in Saskatchewan.

Tocilizumab, which is also used to treat conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, is in high demand across Canada. The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health says there are enough doses left for 50 patients, but that depends on the number of doses and amount used per patient in the coming days.

Dr. Susan Shaw, the chief medical officer with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, says there are only a few therapeutic drugs that have been shown to have some impact on recoveries.

“There’s a high demand for those medications (like Tocilizumab) all around the world because of the pandemic and because we have so many people with COVID infections,” Shaw said during a media conference Thursday.

“How the drugs are allocated is done at a federal level … and then what we do is work really hard with a team of therapeutics experts panel that looks at what are the criteria to make sure that the right people are getting the right medication for the right indication.”

Shaw told reporters there is a concern that, given the current demand for the drug and the rapidly increasing numbers of ICU patients, doctors might not have enough of the “precious medication” to go around.

“There is a potential. We could run out. That’s the reality. We do everything we can to make sure we’re not wasting the drug — and I’m very confident that the teams are making sure as best as possible (it’s being used efficiently) — but we could run out,” she emphasized.

The Ministry of Health agrees, adding there was about a 10-day supply remaining as of Thursday. In a statement, the ministry says it is expecting a shipment by the end of next week.

“The SHA continues to work with the manufacturer, Health Canada and PHAC to obtain additional supply,” it reads.

The ministry has also notified doctors across the province about the potential shortage and says it’s continuously evaluating potential therapeutic alternatives.