Your Patients Are Asking About Cepastat Sore Throat & Cough — Here's How to Help

As a healthcare provider, you may be fielding questions from patients who can't find Cepastat Sore Throat & Cough lozenges at their local pharmacy. This OTC combination product — containing benzocaine (6 mg), dextromethorphan HBr (5 mg), and menthol (10 mg) — has experienced significant availability challenges, leaving patients frustrated and looking for guidance.

This guide provides a practical framework for helping patients navigate the shortage, identify alternatives, and find relief for sore throat and cough symptoms.

Current Availability of Cepastat Sore Throat & Cough

As of 2026, Cepastat Sore Throat & Cough has very limited retail presence. The product, manufactured by Insight Pharmaceuticals LLC, is largely absent from major chain pharmacy shelves. Key availability data:

• Major chains (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid): Generally not stocking
• Mass retailers (Walmart, Target): Rarely available
• Independent pharmacies: Occasionally available; ordering may be possible
• Online: Intermittent stock on Amazon, eBay, and specialty retailers

This is not a formal FDA-listed shortage (as it's an OTC product), but the practical impact on patients is real.

Why Patients Can't Find Cepastat Sore Throat & Cough

Understanding the root causes helps you communicate effectively with patients:

1. Reduced manufacturer distribution: Insight Pharmaceuticals appears to have scaled back or ceased distribution of this specific product.
2. Retail consolidation: Retailers have concentrated shelf space on higher-volume brands (Cepacol, Chloraseptic, Halls).
3. OTC market dynamics: Unlike prescription medications, OTC products can be quietly discontinued without regulatory notification or public announcement.

What Providers Can Do: 5 Practical Steps

Step 1: Validate the Patient's Experience

Patients may feel dismissed when they can't find a product they've relied on. Acknowledge that the shortage is real and that they're not alone in experiencing difficulty. This builds trust and opens the door to discussing alternatives.

Step 2: Recommend the Closest Equivalent

The most direct substitute is Chloraseptic Total Sore Throat + Cough lozenges, which contain identical active ingredients in the same doses:

• Benzocaine 6 mg
• Dextromethorphan HBr 5 mg
• Menthol 10 mg

This is essentially the same product under a different brand name. Patients can switch without any change in therapeutic effect.

Step 3: Use Medfinder to Check Availability

Direct patients — or your staff — to Medfinder for Providers to search for real-time availability. Medfinder checks pharmacy inventory across your area, saving patients from fruitless trips.

You can also integrate availability checks into your workflow by bookmarking the tool for quick access during patient encounters.

Step 4: Provide a Written List of Alternatives

Give patients a clear, written summary of alternatives they can look for at the pharmacy:

• Chloraseptic Total Sore Throat + Cough — same formula, ~$8 for 15 lozenges
• Cepacol Extra Strength Sore Throat & Cough — benzocaine 7.5 mg + DXM 5 mg, ~$4-7
• Halls Cough Drops — menthol only, ~$3-5 (for mild symptoms)
• Ricola Cough Drops — herbal + menthol, ~$4-6 (for patients preferring natural options)

Having this list in writing reduces confusion and empowers patients to make informed decisions at the pharmacy.

Step 5: Screen for Underlying Conditions

If a patient is seeking OTC cough and sore throat relief on a recurring basis, use it as an opportunity to evaluate for underlying conditions:

• Persistent cough lasting more than 1 week may indicate asthma, GERD, post-nasal drip, or infection
• Recurrent sore throat may warrant strep testing or ENT referral
• Patients self-treating with DXM-containing products long-term should be assessed for appropriate cough management

Alternatives: Clinical Comparison

Here's a quick reference for the most relevant alternatives:

Chloraseptic Total Sore Throat + Cough

• Active ingredients: Benzocaine 6 mg, DXM 5 mg, Menthol 10 mg
• Match level: Identical formula
• Availability: Widely available at major pharmacies
• Cost: ~$8/15 lozenges

Cepacol Extra Strength Sore Throat & Cough

• Active ingredients: Benzocaine 7.5 mg, DXM 5 mg
• Match level: Similar; slightly higher benzocaine, no menthol active ingredient
• Availability: Widely available
• Cost: ~$4-7

Halls Cough Drops

• Active ingredients: Menthol (varies by product)
• Match level: Menthol-only; no numbing or DXM
• Availability: Very widely available
• Cost: ~$3-5

Workflow Tips for Your Practice

Integrating shortage awareness into your practice can be straightforward:

• Create a shared document of current OTC product availability issues for your team to reference during patient encounters.
• Bookmark Medfinder for Providers on clinic computers for quick availability lookups.
• Include OTC recommendations in after-visit summaries when you know a patient relies on hard-to-find products.
• Educate front-desk and nursing staff about common OTC shortages so they can proactively provide information to patients who call in.

Final Thoughts

The Cepastat Sore Throat & Cough shortage is a relatively minor clinical issue — readily available equivalents exist — but it matters to the patients who are frustrated by the search. By proactively offering alternatives, using tools like Medfinder, and integrating shortage awareness into your workflow, you can turn a patient frustration into a trust-building moment.

Share our patient-facing shortage update with patients who want more information, or direct them to our guide to Cepastat Sore Throat & Cough alternatives.