How to Find Nitazoxanide in Stock Near You (Tools + Tips)

Nitazoxanide — sold under the brand name Alinia — treats intestinal infections caused by Giardia and Cryptosporidium. The problem: it's a specialty antiparasitic that many pharmacies don't keep on the shelf. If you've been turned away once, don't give up. Here are the most effective tools and steps for finding it quickly.

Step 1: Ask for the Generic by Name

When you call pharmacies, ask specifically for "nitazoxanide 500 mg tablets" — not just "Alinia." Brand Alinia has had distribution interruptions, but FDA-approved generic nitazoxanide tablets (approved 2020) are manufactured by companies like Rising Pharmaceuticals and are more broadly available.

If your prescription is written for "Alinia," call your prescriber and ask them to rewrite it as "nitazoxanide" (generic, substitution permitted). This takes only a few minutes and can open up many more pharmacies.

Step 2: Use medfinder to Skip the Phone Calls

The fastest way to find nitazoxanide in stock near you is to use medfinder. Here's how it works: you enter your medication, dosage, and zip code, and medfinder calls pharmacies in your area to check which ones can fill your prescription. Results come back to you by text — no hold music, no repeated explanations.

This is especially valuable for nitazoxanide because there's no public pharmacy inventory tool that tells you real-time stock levels. Calling directly is the only reliable method — and medfinder does that work for you.

Step 3: Target the Right Types of Pharmacies First

Not all pharmacies are equal when it comes to stocking specialty antiparasitics. Target these first:

• Hospital outpatient pharmacies. These serve infectious disease and GI departments that prescribe nitazoxanide regularly. They are open to the public for outpatient prescriptions in most states and are your best first stop.
• Independent pharmacies. Independent pharmacists are often better at stocking and ordering specialty drugs. If they don't have it today, they can often get it in 24-48 hours.
• Compounding pharmacies. If you need the oral suspension for a child and can't find the brand, some compounding pharmacies may be able to prepare a custom suspension. Talk to your prescriber first.
• Larger chain pharmacies in high-traffic areas. Urban or high-volume Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid locations are more likely to stock nitazoxanide than smaller suburban branches.

Step 4: Use GoodRx or SingleCare to Compare Pharmacy Availability

Discount tools like GoodRx and SingleCare show which pharmacies in your area have pricing available for nitazoxanide — which is often a proxy for stock, since pharmacies that don't carry the drug won't have a price listed. GoodRx coupons also bring the cost of generic nitazoxanide down to approximately $223 for 6 tablets, a significant reduction from the retail price of $833-$1,113.

However, GoodRx pricing data doesn't always reflect real-time inventory. A pharmacy listed on GoodRx may be temporarily out of stock. Always confirm availability by calling or using medfinder before heading out.

Step 5: Ask Your Doctor's Office to Help

Doctors who prescribe nitazoxanide regularly often know which pharmacies in your area carry it. Call your prescriber's office and ask if they have a preferred pharmacy for this medication. Infectious disease specialists and travel medicine practices are especially likely to have this on hand.

Oral Suspension for Children: Special Considerations

Children aged 1 to 11 need the oral suspension form of nitazoxanide — tablets are not appropriate for this age group. The suspension is only available as brand Alinia (no FDA-approved generic exists for this form). This makes it significantly harder to find than the generic tablets.

For the suspension, focus on hospital outpatient pharmacies and independent pharmacies first. If you can't locate it, ask your child's pediatrician or pediatric infectious disease specialist whether there are equivalent alternatives while you continue searching.

What to Do While You Wait for a Fill

If your pharmacy needs to order nitazoxanide and you're waiting 24-48 hours, stay hydrated — parasitic diarrhea can cause significant fluid loss. Contact your prescriber if symptoms worsen. If waiting isn't feasible medically, ask your doctor about alternatives to nitazoxanide that could be started sooner.

Quick Summary: How to Find Nitazoxanide in Stock

1. Ask your prescriber for a generic prescription written as "nitazoxanide 500 mg, substitution permitted"
2. Use medfinder to have pharmacies near you called automatically
3. Target hospital outpatient pharmacies and independent pharmacies first
4. Check GoodRx for pharmacies that price nitazoxanide in your area
5. Ask your prescriber's office which pharmacy they recommend for this medication

For more background on why nitazoxanide is tricky to stock, see our full explainer: Why Is Nitazoxanide So Hard to Find?