To deal with a medication shortage, plan before you run low. Check whether your drug is on FDA's shortage list, leave extra time before each refill, ask your plan and prescriber about longer supplies where they are allowed, and tell your prescriber early if you cannot find your medicine. Please do not change your dose, strength, or product on your own.

Key takeaways

  • FDA says that when a drug is out of stock, it is usually a temporary, local issue. If a drug is on FDA's shortage list, talk with your health care provider or pharmacist about options.
  • In its emergency guidance, Medicare.gov suggests asking your plan whether it offers 60- to 90-day supplies and which pharmacies you can use to get them.
  • Schedule II medicines, such as ADHD stimulants, cannot be refilled. Federal rules let a prescriber issue multiple prescriptions for up to a 90-day total supply, if appropriate and if state law allows.
  • Alternatives are a medical decision. FDA says whether an alternative is appropriate depends on each patient, and that it does not regulate the practice of medicine.
  • Be careful with unfamiliar websites. FDA's BeSafeRx guidance lists clear warning signs.

Is my medicine actually in shortage?

Start by finding out whether the problem is national or local. FDA's Drug Shortages database lists current and resolved shortages. Search by generic name or active ingredient, and you will see the status, when it was first posted, and each manufacturer's availability by strength. FDA says the list is updated daily.

If your drug is not listed, the problem may be local. FDA's page says you can report a shortage that is not yet listed through its public portal, and that early local reports can help it act sooner. If your drug is listed, FDA's advice is to talk with your provider or pharmacist about options during the shortage.

When should I refill?

Do not wait for your last dose. Every extra day gives you time to call around, ask about deliveries, or reach your prescriber if the first pharmacy is out.

  • Ask for your plan's earliest refill date. Insurance plans set their own rules on how soon a refill can be filled. The pharmacist can tell you the date.
  • Know whether your medicine can be refilled. Federal rules prohibit refilling Schedule II controlled substances at all, so each fill needs a new prescription. Ask your prescriber's office how they handle ongoing prescriptions and how much notice they need.
  • Ask about the next delivery. A pharmacy that is out today may be restocking soon. Ask when the next delivery is due and whether your strength is expected.
  • Ask about a partial fill. For Schedule II drugs, federal rules let a pharmacist fill part of a prescription when the full amount is not available, and the rest may be filled within 72 hours. At the request of the patient or prescriber, the remainder can be filled within 30 days of the date the prescription was written, if state law allows.

Can I get a 90-day supply?

Sometimes. It depends on your plan, your prescriber, your state, and the medicine.

  • For many medicines, ask your plan. Medicare.gov's emergency guidance, for people who expect a long absence, is to ask your plan if it offers 60- to 90-day supplies and which pharmacies you can use to get them. The same question is worth asking in a shortage.
  • For Schedule II medicines, a federal rule allows a prescriber to issue multiple prescriptions that together provide up to a 90-day supply. The prescriber must write instructions on each one saying the earliest date it can be filled, must judge that this does not create an undue risk of diversion or abuse, and must follow state law. The rule says it does not require or encourage prescribers to do this. It is their judgment.

A bigger supply is a decision for you, your prescriber, and your plan. It is not something to work around.

How do I keep my prescriber in the loop?

Tell your prescriber's office as soon as you cannot find your medicine, not after you have run out. FDA says patients who are having trouble getting a drug should reach out to their health care provider to discuss possible alternative treatment options. Give them:

  • The drug, strength, and form you were prescribed.
  • Which pharmacies you checked and what they said.
  • How many days of medicine you have left.
  • If you found a pharmacy with stock, its name, so a new prescription can be sent there.

Your prescriber may send the prescription to a pharmacy that has it. If another medicine or strength might fit, that is their call. If you are asking about a transfer of a controlled-substance prescription, read can you transfer a controlled substance prescription first.

What should I keep on hand?

A short list saves time when a pharmacy is out. Keep it in your phone:

  • Your medicines, with name, strength, form, and the manufacturer if your label or bottle lists it.
  • Your pharmacy's and prescriber's phone numbers.
  • The date of your last fill and your plan's earliest refill date.
  • Two or three backup pharmacies, including at least one independent and one chain.

The manufacturer line matters. FDA says approved generics have the same active ingredient, strength, dosage form, and route as the brand and must be bioequivalent. A pharmacy that is out of one company's generic may have another's. Our post on brand vs generic when your medication is out of stock explains how that works.

How do I avoid unsafe sources?

Shortages are when risky sellers appear. FDA's BeSafeRx guidance says a safe online pharmacy requires a prescription, provides a physical U.S. address and phone number, has a licensed pharmacist to answer questions, and is licensed with a state board of pharmacy. Warning signs include no prescription requirement, no U.S. license, medicine that looks different from what you usually get, and prices that seem too good to be true. If a site shows those warning signs, do not order from it.

Can Needle help?

Needle phones pharmacies on your behalf, using AI voice agents and human callers, and reports which ones say they have your exact drug, strength, and form. It can save a lot of calling when you are already short on time. Pricing is $1.00 per pharmacy call, pay as you go. Start a search at app.findneedle.co.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my medicine is in national shortage?

Search FDA's Drug Shortages database by generic name or active ingredient. If it is listed, you will see each manufacturer's availability. If it is not listed, you can report it through FDA's public portal.

Should I stock up on my medicine?

A longer supply should come from your prescriber and your plan, not from working around the rules. For Schedule II drugs, federal rules let a prescriber issue multiple prescriptions for up to a 90-day total supply if they judge it appropriate and state law allows.

What if my pharmacy tells me to come back next week?

Ask whether the medicine is on order and when the next delivery is. Then call other pharmacies, and tell your prescriber if you will run out before then.

How do I report a shortage to FDA?

First check the database by generic name. If the drug is not listed, FDA says you can send a report through its public portal.

Sources