Contribution (Ctr):

Participation of a fraction of the whole, to the whole (Atlantic Region or a province), expressed in percentage. The report shows regional and provincial contributions based on volume of transactions or quantity of product (Reg Ctr Vol), (Reg Ctr Qty), (Prov Ctr Vol ) and (Prov Ctr Qty).

Oxycodone-based products:

Drugs listed (21) on Health Canada's Drug Product Database for active drugs, on May 12, 2004. Each product has its own Drug Identification Number (DIN).

Physicians:

Physicians registered with the Medical Licensing Authority of their respective province(s) in Atlantic Canada.

Practitioner:

"Means a person who is registered and entitled under the laws of a province to practice in that province the profession of medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine, and includes any other person or class of persons prescribed as a practitioner." (Controlled Drugs and Substances Act)

Prescriber:

Practitioner who prescribed oxycodone-based products between January 1 and June 30, 2004, including practitioners without specified prime medical specialty.

Province:

In section 4.0, it is the province of the prescriber's main address. From section 5.0 to the end of the report, it is the province where the transaction occurred.

Quantity of Products:

Refers to tablets and 84 suppositories, but excludes compounded products.

Region or Regional:

Refers to Atlantic Canada and includes all four provinces.

Specialty:

Physicians' prime medical specialty as provided by IMS Health Canada (see Appendix 2). It is marked as "blank" for prescribers for which we were not able to identify their prime medical specialty (465). Please note that PHARM and DDS are professions (Pharmacists and Dentists).

Transaction:

Sales transactions for Oxycodone-based products as presented in sales reports submitted by retail pharmacies of Atlantic Canada. It also includes product transfers between pharmacies, hospitals and pharmacies, or pharmacies and medical clinics. Transaction does not cover compounded products. Please note that a single prescription may generate many sales transactions.