Your Patients Are Struggling to Fill Their Camrese Prescriptions — Here's How to Help

Extended-cycle oral contraceptives like Camrese 91 Day have been intermittently difficult to find since 2022. As a prescriber, you're likely hearing about it from frustrated patients who've been turned away at the pharmacy — sometimes repeatedly.

This guide provides a practical, step-by-step approach to helping your patients access Camrese 91 Day or an equivalent alternative during ongoing supply disruptions.

Current Availability Landscape

As of early 2026, Camrese 91 Day (Levonorgestrel 0.15 mg/Ethinyl Estradiol 0.03 mg, 91-day extended cycle) and its generics remain subject to intermittent supply disruptions. Key points:

• Brand-name Camrese availability varies significantly by region and pharmacy
• Generic equivalents (Amethia, Daysee, Jaimiess) are generally more available but also experience gaps
• Independent pharmacies and mail-order services tend to have better access than large chains
• The FDA Drug Shortage Database should be monitored for current status updates

For the broader shortage context, see our provider briefing on the Camrese shortage.

Why Patients Can't Find It

Understanding the root causes helps you guide patients more effectively:

• Chain pharmacy inventory systems prioritize high-volume medications and may not reorder extended-cycle products automatically
• Patients searching only by brand name may miss available generics
• Insurance formulary restrictions may direct patients to a specific product that happens to be out of stock
• Patients waiting until the last pill to seek refills, leaving no time buffer to search

What Providers Can Do: 5 Practical Steps

Step 1: Prescribe Generically and Allow Substitution

The single most impactful thing you can do is write prescriptions that give pharmacists maximum flexibility. Instead of specifying "Camrese" or even "Amethia," write:

"Levonorgestrel 0.15 mg / Ethinyl Estradiol 0.03 mg extended-cycle oral tablets, 91-day supply. Dispense as written: NO (allow generic substitution)."

This allows the pharmacist to dispense whichever AB-rated generic is on the shelf — Amethia, Daysee, Jaimiess, or any other — without calling your office for a new prescription.

Step 2: Direct Patients to Availability Tools

Medfinder for Providers lets you (or your staff) quickly check which pharmacies near your practice have Camrese or its generics in stock. You can:

• Search before the patient leaves your office and send the prescription to a pharmacy with confirmed stock
• Provide patients with a link to search on their own
• Integrate availability checking into your refill authorization workflow

This saves your patients from the demoralizing experience of driving to a pharmacy only to be told the medication isn't available.

Step 3: Maintain a List of Reliable Pharmacy Contacts

Build relationships with pharmacies that consistently stock extended-cycle contraceptives:

• Independent pharmacies — often more responsive and flexible with ordering
• Mail-order pharmacies — may have access to different distribution channels
• Specialty women's health pharmacies — if available in your area
• 340B pharmacies — if your practice participates in the 340B program

Keep a short list of 3-4 pharmacies you can recommend when patients report availability issues.

Step 4: Proactively Discuss Backup Plans

At each visit where you prescribe or refill Camrese 91 Day, briefly address the shortage:

• "Extended-cycle pills like Camrese have been hard to find at some pharmacies. If you can't fill it, call us — we have backup options."
• Document in the chart that the patient was counseled on the shortage and alternative options
• Consider writing a backup prescription for a continuous-use monophasic OC that the patient can fill if the extended-cycle product is unavailable

Step 5: Know Your Therapeutic Alternatives

When Camrese and all generics are unavailable, these are your clinical options:

• Continuous monophasic OC — Prescribe any monophasic Levonorgestrel/Ethinyl Estradiol (e.g., 0.15/0.03 mg) and instruct the patient to take active pills continuously, skipping placebos. Supported by ACOG guidelines.
• Camrese Lo / Amethia Lo — Lower-dose extended-cycle option (Levonorgestrel 0.1 mg / Ethinyl Estradiol 0.02 mg) if available
• NuvaRing or EluRyng — Extended-use vaginal ring (replace monthly with no ring-free interval)
• Hormonal IUD (Mirena, Liletta) — For patients open to long-acting methods; often reduces or eliminates periods

For a patient-facing comparison of alternatives, share our article on alternatives to Camrese 91 Day.

Workflow Tips for Your Practice

Refill Authorization

When processing Camrese refill requests:

1. Check the current availability using Medfinder before authorizing
2. If stock is limited, contact the patient to discuss routing the prescription to an alternative pharmacy
3. Keep prescriptions generic-friendly — review and update any brand-only prescriptions

Patient Communication Templates

Consider creating a standard handout or patient portal message addressing the shortage. Include:

• A brief explanation of why the shortage exists
• Links to Medfinder for self-service availability searching
• Instructions to call your office if they can't fill within 5 business days
• Reassurance that alternatives are available and effective

EHR Documentation

Document shortage-related prescription changes in the patient's chart. This is important for:

• Insurance appeals if a non-preferred generic must be dispensed
• Continuity of care if the patient sees a different provider
• Tracking how many patients are affected (useful for practice-level advocacy)

Final Thoughts

The Camrese 91 Day shortage creates extra work for providers, but a proactive approach can dramatically reduce patient frustration and gaps in contraceptive coverage. By prescribing flexibly, leveraging availability tools like Medfinder for Providers, and maintaining clear backup plans, you can ensure your patients stay protected even when supply is unreliable.

Additional provider resources:

• Camrese 91 Day Shortage: Full Provider Briefing
• How to Help Patients Save Money on Camrese 91 Day

Patient-facing resources to share:

• How to Find Camrese 91 Day in Stock
• How to Save Money on Camrese 91 Day