PlainMeds research, FDA and CMS files of October 8, 2026
Which medicines are in shortage now
54 medicines have at least one presentation listed as in shortage in the FDA Drug Shortage Database (updated October 6, 2026), 371 presentations in all; lisdexamfetamine has the most (34), then amphetamine and dextroamphetamine (28) and carboplatin (25).
What the data shows
| Medicine | Presentations in shortage | Records | First posted | Companies | Generic labelers (NDC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisdexamfetamine | 34 | 108 | 2023-07-14 | 14 | 19 |
| Amphetamine and dextroamphetamine | 28 | 71 | 2022-10-12 | 11 | 25 |
| Carboplatin | 25 | 35 | 2023-04-28 | 9 | 10 |
| Lidocaine | 15 | 51 | 2012-02-22 | 9 | 81 |
| Methylphenidate | 15 | 38 | 2023-07-26 | 7 | 31 |
| Ropivacaine | 15 | 49 | 2018-03-23 | 5 | 18 |
| Methylprednisolone | 14 | 23 | 2021-12-15 | 5 | 35 |
| Ketorolac | 13 | 26 | 2018-03-23 | 8 | 60 |
| Furosemide | 12 | 32 | 2020-04-07 | 9 | 52 |
| Hydromorphone | 12 | 27 | 2017-10-31 | 5 | 13 |
| Midazolam | 12 | 27 | 2020-04-02 | 6 | 22 |
| Morphine | 12 | 30 | 2017-10-31 | 7 | 22 |
| Quinapril | 12 | 16 | 2023-01-19 | 4 | 9 |
| Dexmedetomidine | 11 | 59 | 2020-04-10 | 17 | 23 |
| Lorazepam | 10 | 11 | 2018-05-03 | 4 | 36 |
| Bupivacaine | 8 | 35 | 2018-02-20 | 7 | 26 |
| Epinephrine and lidocaine | 8 | 10 | 2012-02-22 | 1 | 17 |
| Fentanyl | 7 | 19 | 2012-01-01 | 3 | 6 |
| Methotrexate | 7 | 14 | 2023-03-13 | 5 | 29 |
| Promethazine | 7 | 10 | 2023-11-21 | 2 | 47 |
| Rifampin | 7 | 13 | 2021-02-17 | 5 | 13 |
| Atropine | 6 | 19 | 2012-01-01 | 8 | 22 |
| Clindamycin | 6 | 28 | 2023-03-21 | 5 | 60 |
| Dextrose | 5 | 56 | 2022-01-13 | 6 | 7 |
| Azacitidine | 4 | 9 | 2020-12-18 | 9 | 20 |
| Cefotaxime | 4 | 6 | 2015-02-17 | 2 | 1 |
| Ifosfamide | 4 | 8 | 2026-06-12 | 4 | 2 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 4 | 15 | 2017-03-01 | 5 | 22 |
| Dopamine | 3 | 11 | 2017-11-06 | 3 | 4 |
| Etomidate | 3 | 18 | 2022-10-05 | 6 | 10 |
| Heparin | 3 | 8 | 2017-11-14 | 4 | 18 |
| Hydrochlorothiazide and quinapril | 3 | 6 | 2023-01-19 | 2 | 4 |
| Liraglutide | 3 | 11 | 2023-07-18 | 4 | 9 |
| Metronidazole | 3 | 4 | 2022-01-13 | 3 | 55 |
| Penicillin g benzathine | 3 | 4 | 2023-04-26 | 2 | 0 |
| Remifentanil | 3 | 9 | 2022-06-28 | 3 | 2 |
| Rocuronium | 3 | 26 | 2023-02-15 | 11 | 26 |
| Sufentanil | 3 | 4 | 2022-05-03 | 2 | 1 |
| Water | 3 | 17 | 2021-11-23 | 7 | 11 |
| Alanine, arginine and 16 other ingredients | 2 | 2 | 2020-12-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Dexamethasone | 2 | 19 | 2019-02-08 | 5 | 60 |
| Flurazepam | 2 | 6 | 2022-08-03 | 2 | 1 |
| Hydroxocobalamin | 2 | 2 | 2024-11-04 | 2 | 1 |
| Sodium acetate | 2 | 15 | 2016-02-03 | 5 | 5 |
| Technetium tc 99m pyrophosphate | 2 | 2 | 2023-12-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Alanine, arginine and 13 other ingredients | 1 | 3 | 2020-12-08 | 1 | 0 |
| Bacitracin | 1 | 1 | 2025-03-03 | 1 | 0 |
| Clonazepam | 1 | 40 | 2023-03-10 | 6 | 31 |
| Dobutamine | 1 | 10 | 2017-11-06 | 3 | 4 |
| Isocarboxazid | 1 | 1 | 2026-04-16 | 1 | 0 |
| Pentostatin | 1 | 1 | 2026-08-27 | 1 | 0 |
| Propranolol | 1 | 2 | 2023-10-31 | 2 | 42 |
| Riluzole | 1 | 4 | 2024-01-26 | 1 | 5 |
| Sodium pyrophosphate and stannous | 1 | 1 | 2023-12-27 | 1 | 0 |
Source: FDA Drug Shortage Database via openFDA, read October 8, 2026
How it was measured
Every FDA shortage record (openFDA drug/shortages) joined to its medicine through its NDCs; a medicine counts when one or more of its presentations has the status Current. Presentations are the package-level entries the FDA lists.
What it cannot show
The FDA lists shortages it has confirmed; a local pharmacy can be out of stock without a listing, and a listing can lag the market by days.