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Clonazepam Shortages At Your Pharmacy? What’s Your Experience & Location?


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Chicagoland area, just returned from an extended travel abroad and the country I was in basically was 100% out of clonazepam when I was leaving (generics, brand names, and all dosages). I return to the states with only 8 days worth of medication remaining and my doctor called in a prescription. Went to the pharmacy to get/check the script and they said they are out. I was shocked, then was told by the pharmacist “No 1mg pills, then there were no 2mg pills, and then that caused all the .5mg pills to be used up by doctors sending scripts for patients who couldn’t get their 1mg or 2mg scripts filled.”

 

He said this started about 2 weeks ago. He said he has no idea when they will be available, and said that he expects them to go out of stock as soon as they arrive due to the number of people waiting.

 

IMHO, this is serious. For one, I am in the process of reducing. For two, we all know the physical dangers of this. Third, the pharmacist has no idea at all when to expect them in and said it could be 3 days or 3 months.

 

Called all other pharmacies in town, and have not been able to find a single place that has any in stock.

 

To top things off, being on a reduction program with a Benzo specialist makes this extra stressful because I am only issued the dosage required for the immediate 30 days. If this shortage is prolonged or if it grows larger in span, many people will be suffering. It seems like this will be a growing problem in the oncoming future.

 

Are you experiencing this? If so, what general area and what is the situation? Clearly, the official answer for this is that it’s a supply chain issue for laboratories. However, I’ve seen nothing on the forum about this and was surprised that I’m unable to find any real info on when to expect this medication to be in stock again.

 

I would like to stock up and have 6 months worth at all times, but this is not an idea that is very debatable with my doctor.

 

Please report in if you’re having (or have recently had) a similar situation in your area. It seems this is clearly not limited to the USA at the moment.

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I think this shortage is too new to be in the databases yet because all of those brands are familiar to the pharmacy I use and all the other area pharmacies.

 

None of the various sites/resources reporting any shortages.

 

A friend in Mexico also told me Mexico has no Clonazapam where he lives.

 

Anyone else? This might be coming shortly to your area. My area may have higher consumption and this could be the reason it became apparent quickly.

 

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It's been an issue for over a year in Europe. Multiple pharmacists have told me to always be on time etc. to make sure I don't run out. Which makes it even more insane I was only prescribed this in October for minor sleeping issue. But my situation is different in that I can easily get prescriptions (even multiple ones at the same time) and I use liquid rivotril so have some extra bottles at home to ensure I don't fall without (and 2-3 pharmacists that have me on their list to keep one on the side for).
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Accord is definitely in short supply now due to plant closures in India, or perhaps more correctly, FDA holding the product until improvements are made. I do not know any further details, but that is what has caused it.
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Here in the US it’s basically first come, first serve. If you don’t have an active prescription, meaning one that was called in but has not yet been picked up - especially for a controlled substance - the pharmacist is not allowed to hold any off to the side for you. If someone else has a valid script to fill, it gets filled and if that script depletes the stock, the next person is out of luck. (of course, if you have a lot of luck and a cool pharmacist or a good relationship with one, they may hold something for you but that’s an unlikely situation.

 

Today, luckily, I was able to find a pharmacy in a different town that has .5mg clonazepam available, and my doctor’s secretary was kind enough to call the script in to that pharmacy for me since my doctor is on vacation.

 

Still alarmed that in 3 different countries, and, all at the same time, everyone (or nearly everyone is out).

 

Multiple brands globally, multiple labs/factories producing these pills, and it seems like a shortage of the active ingredient from a centralized source must be the problem. No reason a lab couldn’t easily capitalize on a shortage if they had the ability to do so - that’s what tells me it’s an ingredient supplier. Likely, China - which by the way opens the door for another conversation that I don’t think I need to explain, however, it seems they could do great harm to millions simply by cutting/delaying that supply.

 

Not fun knowing whether or not something that causes such serious withdrawal issues will be available when it’s time to fill up each month. Especially for those who have no access to backup stock for situations like this.

 

I’m still very curious to hear from others in the US if they are or have been facing the same problem.

 

I feel lucky I was able to find a source today but I’m sure many people cannot and my heart goes out to them, or anyone suffering from a benzo they cannot rightfully acquire due to a shortage.

 

It seems like the whole world is now third world, dependent on other countries for critical supplies that are not able to be received. You’d think the world of medicine would be more advanced - especially considering the greed of the big pharma companies. Then again, maybe their greed is the issue. Unwilligness to ensure everything is readily available by producing within their own borders.

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Accord is definitely in short supply now due to plant closures in India, or perhaps more correctly, FDA holding the product until improvements are made. I do not know any further details, but that is what has caused it.

 

Thanks for that input… Curious about other manufacturers as well. Maybe it’s all an India problem and not China. Then again, who knows. I’m seeking information just to understand. Not much we can do about it.

 

I was thinking it could be a regulatory issue but politics seems quite unlikely unless at a very high level seeing that this problem is international in scope.

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omg, thanks for this info! I had been getting Accord for months and last refill was Teva for no reason that I could tell. This may explain it. That change in manufacturer messed me up for about a week. Ugg!!
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omg, thanks for this info! I had been getting Accord for months and last refill was Teva for no reason that I could tell. This may explain it. That change in manufacturer messed me up for about a week. Ugg!!

 

Glad you're over the worst of it, mrn. These situations are far from ideal for those tapering.

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  • 5 weeks later...
We're having a shortage here in Wisconsin as well. I am super sensitive to any change in generic, either up or down, so my doctor made sure I had a bit of a supply just in case something like this happened. My pharmacy has been telling me it is backordered, not in stock, will notify when available. It's crazy. I really hope it goes back into production and is in stock for all those people in need of it very soon!
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As of April 5, the FDA drug shortages database showed the following for Teva clonazepam:

 

0.5 mg, 100 count (NDC 0093-0832-01) Available

0.5 mg, 500 count (NDC 0093-0832-05) Available

1 mg, 100 count (NDC 0093-3212-01) Limited Supply Available, Recovery April 2023

1 mg, 500 count (NDC 0093-3212-05) Limited Supply Available

2 mg, 100 count (NDC 0093-3213-01) Limited Supply Available, Recovery May 2023

2 mg, 500 count (NDC 0093-3213-05) Available

 

As of April 10, the ASHP drug shortages database showed the following for Teva clonazepam:

 

Clonazepam oral tablet, Teva, 0.5 mg, bottle, 500 count, NDC 00093-0832-05 Shortage

Clonazepam oral tablet, Teva, 1 mg, bottle, 100 count, NDC 00093-3212-01 Shortage

Clonazepam oral tablet, Teva, 2 mg, bottle, 100 count, NDC 00093-3213-01 Shortage

Clonazepam oral tablet, Teva, 2 mg, bottle, 500 count, NDC 00093-3213-05 Shortage

 

Also per ASHP …

 

Available products include:

 

Clonazepam oral tablet, Teva, 0.5 mg, bottle, 100 count, NDC 00093-0832-01

Orally Disintegrating Tablets, Teva, 0.125mg, 0.25mg, 0.5mg, 1mg, 2mg

 

Estimated resupply dates are:

 

Teva has clonazepam 0.5 mg and 2 mg tablets in 500 count bottles on back order and the company estimates a release date of mid-April 2023. The 1 mg tablets in 100 count bottles are on back order and the company estimates a release date in late-April 2023. The 2 mg tablets in 100 count bottles on back order and the company estimates a release date in early-May 2023.

 

Teva did not provide a reason for the shortage.  Accord clonazepam is still not available due to manufacturing issues.  H2 Pharma has brand Klonopin available.  Solco did not provide updated information.

 

Links:

FDA Drug Shortages | Clonazepam Tablets

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/dsp_ActiveIngredientDetails.cfm?AI=Clonazepam%20Tablets&st=c

 

ASHP Drug Shortages | Clonazepam Oral Tablets

https://www.ashp.org/drug-shortages/current-shortages/drug-shortage-detail.aspx?id=934

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You’re welcome, Boges11.  These are the times I am grateful to have a supportive independent pharmacist and compounding pharmacist.  Both of them purchase the largest available bottles of tablets from the clonazepam manufacturer I use and fill my prescriptions using that supply. They also let me know when when they start a new bottle.  During the pandemic, they even ordered extra bottles ‘just in case.’
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  • 4 weeks later...
I am in lower NY state. For several months, that I'm aware of, certain pharmacies are back-ordered and others are getting random generics. I had a big problem with the Teva and called 7 pharmacies today looking for any other generic. 6 had Teva and Walmart is backordered.
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