Helping Patients Navigate the Cefpodoxime Shortage

When you prescribe cefpodoxime and your patient calls back an hour later saying the pharmacy doesn't have it, you lose time — and your patient loses confidence that they'll get treated promptly. In 2026, with the oral suspension still experiencing intermittent shortages and even tablets occasionally hard to find at certain pharmacies, having a proactive plan is essential.

This guide gives you five concrete steps to help patients fill their cefpodoxime prescription, plus workflow tips to minimize disruption to your practice.

Current Cefpodoxime Availability

As of early 2026:

• Tablets (100 mg, 200 mg): Generally available through major wholesalers. Localized shortages may occur during peak respiratory season.
• Oral suspension (50 mg/5 mL, 100 mg/5 mL): Intermittently available. The ASHP drug shortage list has included the oral suspension on and off since 2018, following Aurobindo's discontinuation of their product.

For the latest status, see our provider shortage briefing.

Why Patients Can't Find Cefpodoxime

Understanding the root causes helps you anticipate problems and counsel patients effectively:

1. Limited manufacturer base: Only a few generic companies (Sandoz, Lupin, Teva) produce cefpodoxime. Any single production disruption ripples through the supply chain.
2. Suspension-specific shortages: The oral suspension has been disproportionately affected because fewer manufacturers produce it and the formulation has a shorter shelf life.
3. Pharmacy-level inventory limits: Large chain pharmacies use automated inventory systems that may not reorder promptly during shortage conditions. Independent pharmacies may have more flexibility.
4. Seasonal demand: Prescriptions for cefpodoxime peak during fall and winter months for otitis media, sinusitis, and bronchitis, straining already-limited supply.

5 Steps Providers Can Take

Step 1: Check Availability Before Prescribing

Use Medfinder for Providers to verify that cefpodoxime is in stock at pharmacies near your patient's home or workplace. This takes seconds and prevents the common scenario where a patient drives to the pharmacy only to be turned away.

If the patient's preferred pharmacy doesn't have it, Medfinder can identify one that does — you can send the prescription directly there.

Step 2: Have a Backup Prescription Ready

When prescribing cefpodoxime during shortage conditions, consider writing a backup prescription for an alternative antibiotic. Common substitutes include:

• Cefdinir — Most similar spectrum; available as capsule and suspension
• Cefixime — Once-daily dosing; good for UTIs and gonorrhea
• Cefuroxime axetil — Second-generation option; covers similar pathogens
• Amoxicillin-clavulanate — First-line per many guidelines for sinusitis and otitis media

Instruct the pharmacist to fill the backup only if cefpodoxime is unavailable. This saves the patient a return call to your office.

Step 3: Direct Patients to Independent Pharmacies

Independent pharmacies often have access to different wholesaler networks and may carry inventory that chain stores don't. When chain pharmacies are out of stock, recommend that patients try:

• Local independent pharmacies
• Hospital outpatient pharmacies
• Compounding pharmacies (especially for the oral suspension)

Step 4: Consider Formulation Flexibility

For patients who can swallow tablets, switching from the oral suspension to tablets may solve the availability problem entirely. The tablets are significantly easier to find. For pediatric patients, some older children (typically age 10+) may be able to take the 100 mg tablet.

If the suspension is truly needed and unavailable, a compounding pharmacy can prepare a liquid formulation from tablets. Confirm stability and beyond-use dating with the compounding pharmacist.

Step 5: Communicate Proactively

Set expectations at the point of prescribing:

• Mention that cefpodoxime may be harder to find at some pharmacies.
• Provide the Medfinder website so patients can check stock themselves.
• Let patients know they can call your office for an alternative if they can't locate it.

A brief conversation at the visit prevents multiple phone calls, faxes, and delays later.

Alternative Antibiotics at a Glance

Here's a quick reference for common cefpodoxime substitutions by indication:

• Acute otitis media: Cefdinir, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefuroxime
• Sinusitis: Amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefdinir, cefuroxime
• Pharyngitis/tonsillitis: Cefdinir, cephalexin, penicillin V
• Community-acquired pneumonia: Cefdinir, cefuroxime, amoxicillin-clavulanate
• Uncomplicated UTI: Cefixime, cephalexin, nitrofurantoin, TMP-SMX
• Uncomplicated gonorrhea: Ceftriaxone IM (preferred per current CDC guidelines)

For a full comparison, read alternatives to cefpodoxime.

Workflow Tips for Your Practice

Build a Shortage Alert System

Subscribe to ASHP drug shortage alerts for cefpodoxime and related antibiotics. When a new shortage is reported, update your clinical team so they can adjust prescribing patterns proactively.

Create a Prescribing Decision Tree

Develop a quick-reference guide for your office that lists first-choice and backup antibiotics for each common indication. This speeds up decision-making when a patient calls back saying their pharmacy is out of stock.

Leverage Your EHR

If your electronic health record supports medication availability alerts, enable them. Some EHR systems can flag drugs currently on shortage lists at the point of prescribing.

Partner with Local Pharmacies

Build relationships with 2-3 pharmacies (including at least one independent) that you can call directly to check stock. A personal contact at the pharmacy counter is worth more than any automated system.

Final Thoughts

The cefpodoxime shortage doesn't have to derail patient care. By checking availability before prescribing, keeping alternatives at the ready, and giving patients the tools to find stock on their own, you can turn a supply chain inconvenience into a manageable workflow adjustment.

Start using Medfinder for Providers to check real-time cefpodoxime availability from your office. And for cost-saving guidance to share with patients, see how to help patients save money on cefpodoxime.