Shortage status, strengths and how to find Concerta or generic methylphenidate extended-release tablets at a pharmacy.
To find Concerta in stock, call pharmacies with the exact product on your prescription (Concerta or generic methylphenidate extended-release tablets, in your strength) and ask which generic they carry, because not every generic is rated as a substitute for Concerta. Stock differs by pharmacy and manufacturer. Ask about the next delivery, check chains and independents, and call your prescriber early if nobody has it.
As of October 14, 2026, the FDA's drug shortage database lists methylphenidate extended-release tablets (brand Concerta and generics) as currently in shortage: 34 package listings from 6 manufacturers, with 19 listed as available, 9 as limited and 6 as unavailable. A national listing doesn't mean every pharmacy is out: what a pharmacy can get depends on its wholesaler and the manufacturers it buys from.
| Strength | Available | Limited | Unavailable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 mg | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 27 mg | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 36 mg | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 45 mg | 1 | 1 | – |
| 54 mg | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 63 mg | 1 | 1 | – |
| 72 mg | 1 | 1 | – |
Counts are FDA package listings (one per NDC), not pharmacies. Earliest current listing first posted July 26, 2023. Most recent FDA update October 1, 2026. FDA groups every methylphenidate extended-release tablet in one entry, including strengths Concerta isn't made in, so some rows may not apply to your prescription. See FDA's listing.
Pharmacies answer about one specific product, not the drug in general. Before you call, have the name (Concerta, or methylphenidate extended-release), the form, the strength and the quantity from your prescription, and know whether a generic from any manufacturer is acceptable.
Ask whether it is in stock today, whether it is on order, and when the next delivery is due. Many pharmacies restock on a regular schedule, and a pharmacist can often tell you whether your strength is expected.
FDA's Orange Book rates generics for therapeutic equivalence. Ask the pharmacist which manufacturer's methylphenidate ER tablet they have and whether it can be used for your prescription, since some generics carry a "BX" rating rather than an "AB" rating to Concerta. If your prescriber wrote for brand Concerta, tell the pharmacy.
Pharmacies buy from different wholesalers and manufacturers, so one can have your strength while the store down the road is out. If you use a chain, ask whether a nearby location has it. How to ask a pharmacy if a medication is in stock has a script you can read word for word.
Federal rules allow a one-time transfer of an electronic Schedule II prescription between pharmacies for initial filling, at your request. State law can be stricter and pharmacies don't have to take part, so your prescriber can also send a new prescription instead. See can you transfer a controlled substance prescription.
If a pharmacy has some but not all of your quantity, federal rules let the pharmacist fill part of a Schedule II prescription. The rest must be supplied within 72 hours, or you will need a new prescription. Ask the pharmacist how they handle it.
Tell the office which strengths and forms you checked. Any change in strength, form or medication is your prescriber's decision, so please don't switch, split or combine Concerta doses on your own.
Needle phones pharmacies for you, using AI voice agents and human callers, asks for your exact Concerta strength and form, and reports which pharmacies said they have it. Its database covers 60,000+ US pharmacies, and pay-as-you-go searches cost $1.00 per pharmacy call (credits roll over). Because some pharmacies only confirm Schedule II stock to the patient, a call may not always get a clear yes or no. Start a search.
NIH RxNorm, the National Library of Medicine's standard drug vocabulary, lists Concerta in these forms and strengths as of October 14, 2026. A listed strength isn't a promise any pharmacy stocks it, and only your prescriber can change yours.
| Form | Strengths |
|---|---|
| Extended-release tablet |
|
Concerta is the brand name for methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets. MedlinePlus lists methylphenidate, a central nervous system stimulant, as a treatment for ADHD. Generic methylphenidate extended-release tablets are available, but RxNorm lists some with a "BX" rating, the FDA code for products whose data aren't enough to rate them therapeutically equivalent to the brand. Concerta is a Schedule II controlled substance and can't be refilled. Immediate-release methylphenidate is a different product (see Ritalin).
Tell us your exact Concerta strength and form. We phone pharmacies near you and tell you which ones say they have it.
As of October 14, 2026, the FDA's drug shortage database lists methylphenidate extended-release tablets (brand Concerta and generics) as currently in shortage: 34 package listings from 6 manufacturers, with 19 listed as available, 9 as limited and 6 as unavailable. A national listing doesn't mean every pharmacy is out; stock still varies from store to store.
NIH RxNorm lists Concerta as extended-release tablets in 18 mg, 27 mg, 36 mg and 54 mg. Your prescription names your strength and form, and only your prescriber can change them.
Generic methylphenidate extended-release tablets contain the same active ingredient, but they aren't all rated the same way. FDA's Orange Book uses an "AB" code for generics it considers therapeutically equivalent and "BX" when the data aren't enough to say, and RxNorm lists some methylphenidate ER tablets as BX-rated. Ask your pharmacist which version you're getting.
Not without your prescriber. Methylphenidate comes in several immediate- and extended-release products with different strengths and release patterns, and they aren't interchangeable at the pharmacy counter. Ask your prescriber whether another option is right for you.
Often, yes. Federal rules allow a one-time transfer of an electronic Schedule II prescription between pharmacies for initial filling, at the patient's request. State law can be stricter and pharmacies aren't required to take part, so you can also ask your prescriber to send a new prescription to the pharmacy that has it.
Because Concerta is a Schedule II controlled substance, some pharmacies have policies against confirming stock over the phone, especially to callers they don't know, and some will only talk to the patient. If a pharmacy won't say, try calling as the patient, stopping in, or asking your prescriber's office to check.
