Is there a Zepbound shortage and when will it end?

In early March, I heard limited reports of people not being able to find specific doses of Zepbound. At that time, it seemed that there was limited availability of 7.5mg and 10mg pens. By the third week of March, though, there were more reports from people across the U.S. not being able to pick up their refills.

My experience with Zepbound supply issues in March

On March 21, I picked up a box of 2.5mg from my local pharmacy. I paid out of pocket because my insurer denied coverage for the refill. I was concerned about a pending shortage so I went ahead and picked it up. For me, it was worth spending $550 instead of the usual $35 (my insurance copay).

My insurer denied coverage for the refill because it said 2.5mg is a loading dose and I had to titrate up to 5mg. So, six later, my doctor transmitted a new prescription for 5mg to the pharmacy. In just that short span, the supply of Zepbound had gotten even tighter. My pharmacy called to tell me that Zepbound 5mg was back ordered. They put me on a list with the hope it would arrive on April 6. That’s a wait of 12 days. Normally, the medication is ready at the pharmacy within a day or two of the RX transmission.

Related reading: Everything you need to know about Zepbound

As the week went on, many people got similar bad news from their pharmacies: No Zepbound. Many of us called dozens of pharmacies to chase down the doses needed. Some people were successful but most came up empty.

Is there an official Zepbound shortage?

On April 3, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added Zepbound (tirzepatide) 5mg and 12.5mg doses to its official shortage list. Those doses will have limited availability through April 2024. It lists other doses as “available.”

However, we know local pharmacies across America don’t have the drug. Pharmacies are telling customers that it is back-ordered. Some pharmacies said it could be ordered while others told customers it could not. Those conflicting answers may have something to do with the region of the country and which wholesale distributor that chain or store uses. Three major wholesalers supply Zepbound to pharmacies.

Even major mail-order pharmacies, such as Express Scripts and Amazon Pharmacy, are sold out. Last week, even Lilly Direct was telling customers it was out of stock.

So, whether or not this is being called an official shortage, the fact is that many users can’t get their injection pens on schedule.

Eli Lilly says that demand for this drug is beyond expectations, which will continue to cause inventory issues until production increases. The manufacturer is ramping up production and building new plants in the hope of getting more doses into the market as soon as possible. For now though, Eli Lilly says it is manufacturing the drug without incident and getting it into the hands of wholesalers.

How to report the Zepbound shortage to the FDA

Consumers should self-report drug availability problems to the FDA. If you haven’t been able to find your Zepbound dosage in stock, make sure to report it.

When will pharmacies get more Zepbound?

Some pharmacies are telling customers when they expect to get more Zepbound in stock. We can only wait to see if these dates are accurate.

Depending on the region of the U.S. and dose on order, dates range from the first week of April to mid-April to the end of April. Someone even reported that their mail-order pharmacy told them 7.5mg wouldn’t ship until May 20. Take these dates with a grain of salt. We’ll know more in the coming days as we see if pharmacies do, in fact, receive more Zepbound inventory from the wholesalers.

I was told my order for Zepbound 5mg would arrive on April 6, but I actually received a text to pick up the drug on April 2. That was a relief.

What to do during the Zepbound shortage?

I’m working on another blog post devoted to your options during the shortage. I’ve also prepared a short ebook with some tips to manage your weight loss goals while Zepbound inventory is tight. You can get a copy of the ebook by signing up for my free newsletter here.

In the meantime, here are a few things you can do to live with this shorage.

• If you haven’t yet started your Zepbound journey, don’t take your first shot as soon as you receive your box of pens. Instead, wait a few weeks and have your doctor call in a refill so you have some “buffer.” That way, if shortages continue throughout the first half of the year (or longer), you’ll have some extra time in your shot schedule that will allow for hiccups at the pharmacy.
  
• If you have any Zepbound doses left, stretch them out. Instead of taking a shot every seven days, consider 10 or 14.
  
• Call pharmacies in your area and any mail-order options you have to check to see if your dosage is back in stock. You can always transfer your prescription.
  
• Talk with your doctor about compounding pharmacies and if it’s the right solution for you to get tirzepatide during the Zepbound shortage.

The wrap-up

If you’re frustrated right now, I understand. I am too. This drug is helping so many of us and no one wants their dosing schedule messed up. However, I believe this is a temporary glitch and that the system imbalance will work itself out. Eli Lilly (and other GLP-1 manufacturers such as Novo Nordisk) are working hard to increase production and get these important drugs to the people who need them.

We can get through this distribution glitch. It just may take a bit more planning and focus than we wish it would.

Let me know what you’re doing to make it through the shortage.