Helping Your Patients Navigate the Bacitracin Shortage

The ongoing Bacitracin ophthalmic ointment shortage has created a recurring challenge in clinical practice: patients return to your office or call your staff because they can't fill their prescriptions. This wastes time for your team and delays treatment for your patients.

This guide offers practical, actionable steps you can integrate into your workflow to help patients find Bacitracin — or pivot quickly to an alternative — without unnecessary office visits, phone calls, or frustration.

Current Availability: What You Need to Know

Here's a quick snapshot of Bacitracin availability in 2026:

• Bacitracin ophthalmic ointment (Rx): In active shortage. Padagis US temporarily discontinued the 3.5g tube in early 2025. Estimated resupply: October 2026. Some pharmacies may have limited remaining stock.
• Bacitracin topical ointment (OTC): Generally available. Retail price $2.52–$13.44. Multiple manufacturers. No prescription needed.
• Bacitracin injection: Permanently withdrawn from the U.S. market since 2020.
• Combination products (Neosporin, Polysporin): Available OTC. Not affected by the ophthalmic shortage.

For the full shortage timeline and context, see our provider shortage briefing.

Why Patients Can't Find It

Understanding the root causes helps you counsel patients effectively:

• Single-manufacturer dependency: Padagis US was the primary producer of Bacitracin ophthalmic ointment. Their production halt left a vacuum with no other manufacturer able to meet demand.
• Sterile manufacturing barriers: Ophthalmic products require sterile manufacturing environments with strict FDA oversight, making it difficult for new producers to enter the market quickly.
• Patient confusion: Many patients don't realize the OTC topical form is different from the Rx ophthalmic form. They may report being unable to find "Bacitracin" when what they actually need is the specific ophthalmic formulation.
• Pharmacy stock variability: Some pharmacies — particularly independent ones — may still have stock while large chains are depleted.

What Providers Can Do: 5 Practical Steps

Step 1: Check Stock Before Prescribing

Before writing a prescription for Bacitracin ophthalmic ointment, verify that a pharmacy near the patient actually has it in stock. You can use Medfinder for Providers to check real-time availability by zip code.

This one step can prevent the most common frustration: a patient driving to their pharmacy only to be told the medication is unavailable.

Step 2: Prescribe Alternatives Proactively

Rather than prescribing Bacitracin and hoping the pharmacy has it, consider prescribing a readily available alternative upfront. The most common substitutes for Bacitracin ophthalmic ointment include:

• Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment — Widely available, similar gram-positive coverage, Tier 1 generic on most formularies. Cash price $10–$30.
• Tobramycin ophthalmic drops/ointment — Good gram-negative coverage, readily available.
• Ciprofloxacin ophthalmic drops — Broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone, available as an inexpensive generic.
• Polytrim drops (Polymyxin B/Trimethoprim) — Effective combination for bacterial conjunctivitis.

For topical wound care, consider recommending petroleum jelly (Aquaphor) for clean minor wounds, or prescribing Mupirocin for higher-risk situations requiring MRSA coverage. See our detailed article on Bacitracin alternatives.

Step 3: Write Backup Prescriptions

When you prescribe Bacitracin ophthalmic, consider also writing a backup prescription for an alternative (e.g., Erythromycin ophthalmic). Tell the patient: "Try to fill the Bacitracin first, but if the pharmacy doesn't have it, fill the Erythromycin instead." This saves the patient from having to call your office for a new prescription.

Step 4: Direct Patients to Stock-Checking Tools

Empower patients to find their own medication. Recommend these resources:

• Medfinder — Patients can check pharmacy stock by zip code in seconds
• Independent pharmacies — Patients should be encouraged to look beyond chain pharmacies
• Compounding pharmacies — For ophthalmic formulations, compounding may be an option

You can share the patient-facing article how to find Bacitracin in stock near you directly with patients via your patient portal or after-visit instructions.

Step 5: Update Your EHR and Staff Protocols

Integrate shortage awareness into your daily workflow:

• Add a clinical alert or best practice advisory (BPA) in your EHR that flags Bacitracin ophthalmic prescriptions and suggests alternatives
• Update your after-visit instructions or patient handouts to include shortage information and alternative recommendations
• Brief your medical assistants and front desk staff so they can answer patient questions about the shortage without requiring provider callbacks
• Consider adding Medfinder to your referral resources so staff can check stock when patients call

Alternatives Summary Table

Here's a quick reference for common Bacitracin alternatives:

• Wound care (OTC): Polysporin ($5–$12), Neosporin ($5–$15), Petroleum jelly ($3–$10)
• Wound care (Rx): Mupirocin ($15–$75 cash; under $15 with coupon)
• Eye infections (Rx): Erythromycin ointment ($10–$30), Tobramycin ($10–$40), Ciprofloxacin drops ($8–$25), Polytrim drops ($15–$35)

Workflow Tips for Busy Practices

Here are a few additional workflow optimizations during the shortage:

• Batch-update your favorites list: Temporarily move Erythromycin ophthalmic to the top of your ophthalmology favorites in your EHR
• Create a macro or SmartPhrase: Draft a standard patient message explaining the shortage and alternatives that your staff can send with one click
• Use telehealth for follow-up: If a patient can't fill their Bacitracin prescription, offer a quick telehealth visit to prescribe an alternative rather than requiring an in-person return
• Document the shortage: Note in the chart that Bacitracin was unavailable and an alternative was prescribed. This helps with insurance appeals if needed and creates a clear clinical trail.

Helping Patients With Costs

Cost can be a barrier, especially for uninsured patients who need the Rx ophthalmic form or an alternative. Provider-friendly tips:

• Recommend discount cards (GoodRx, SingleCare) — can reduce Erythromycin ophthalmic to under $15
• Point patients to NeedyMeds or RxAssist for general assistance programs
• For OTC products, remind patients that generic store-brand Bacitracin ointment is typically the cheapest option

Our guide on helping patients save money on Bacitracin provides additional cost-saving strategies you can share.

Final Thoughts

Drug shortages are an ongoing reality in healthcare, and the Bacitracin ophthalmic shortage is a textbook example of how single-manufacturer dependency can disrupt patient care. By proactively prescribing alternatives, using stock-checking tools like Medfinder, and updating your practice workflows, you can minimize the impact on your patients and your team.

The shortage is expected to resolve by late 2026, but the workflow improvements you make now will serve you well the next time a commonly used medication becomes hard to find.