Current Drug Treatments Available in Canada

There are many quantitative and qualitative research papers and reports, produced in many countries outside of Canada such as USA, Australia, Israel, United Kingdom and other European countries. But a single effective treatment for fibromyalgia has not yet been discovered. Treatments are most often multifaceted and involve multidisciplinary approaches and providers. Currently, Health Canada has approved two prescription drugs to manage fibromyalgia:

Duloxetine (Cymbalta) is an antidepressant medicine that is sometimes used to manage fibromyalgia. If your healthcare provider prescribes it for you, it doesn’t mean you’re depressed. Duloxetine can help give you more energy.

Pregabalin (Lyrica) may be used to manage fibromyalgia. It can help lessen pain and improve sleep.

Current global medical research studies include the efficacy and use of cannabis, lidocaine and other types of prescription drugs in the treatment regimen for fibromyalgia. Check out these reports and summaries on the latest research on treatments:

Drug Management

At the 2021 International Congress on Controversies in Fibromyalgia, several emerging drug therapies were reviewed.
These treatments may support symptom relief when standard therapies are not effective, but further studies are needed.

Drug Management – Part 2

Dr. Daniel Clauw highlights that drugs for fibromyalgia are not inherently less effective than those for other chronic pain conditions, rather, the challenge lies in the lack of a precision medicine approach.

Drug Management – Part 3

Opioids, despite being commonly used for chronic pain, are generally ineffective drugs and potentially harmful in fibromyalgia. Research shows that fibromyalgia patients have altered opioid receptor systems, which reduce opioid effectiveness and may lead to increased pa…

Fact Sheets About Current Drug Treatments Available

Traditional Medications Used to Treat Fibromyalgia

All new drugs are reviewed by Health Canada before they appear on the market in Canada. They are assessed for their safety, efficacy and quality. Drug products are available by prescription or

Cymbalta™ or its Generic Duloxetine

Learn about Cymbalta™ (generic name Duloxetine) for use with fibromyalgia with our Fact Sheet.

Herbal and Other Natural Products

In Canada, products such as herbal remedies, vitamins, minerals, homeopathic medicines, traditional medicines (like traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines) are categorized as natural health products (NHPs) and often used by people with fibromyalgia.