How to Help Your Patients Find Lidocaine in Stock: A Provider's Guide

One of the most frustrating conversations in clinical practice today is telling a patient their lidocaine prescription has been filled — only to have them call back saying no pharmacy has it in stock. With the ongoing lidocaine shortage continuing into 2026, many practices are fielding these calls daily.

This guide gives you the practical tools, patient communication scripts, and resource recommendations to reduce the friction for your patients — and your front desk team.

Which Lidocaine Prescriptions Are Affecting Outpatients Most?

For most outpatient prescribers, the patient-facing shortage primarily affects:

• Lidocaine 5% transdermal patch (Lidoderm/generics): Used for postherpetic neuralgia. Generic versions are generally more available than brand-name Lidoderm.
• ZTLido 1.8% patch: A newer branded formulation for PHN that uses hydrogel technology. Smaller, more flexible, with different bioavailability than the 5% patch.
• Lidocaine viscous 2%: Used in palliative care and oncology for mucositis pain. On the FDA shortage list.
• Lidocaine 2% jelly (Glydo, Xylocaine Jelly): Used for urethral procedures, catheterization, and intubation lubrication.

Step 1: Write Flexible Prescriptions

One of the most impactful things a prescriber can do is write flexible prescriptions that give pharmacists room to substitute:

• Write for generic substitution allowed — this is standard in most states but confirm it's not inadvertently blocked on your prescription pad or EHR.
• Consider including a note: "Pharmacist may dispense ZTLido 1.8% or any available lidocaine topical patch formulation" — this empowers pharmacists to fill what they have.
• When medically appropriate, write for 30-day supply with refills rather than 90-day — shorter quantities may be easier to source.

Step 2: Educate Patients at the Point of Prescribing

Set expectations before the patient leaves the office. A simple script:

"There's currently a shortage of lidocaine patches, so your usual pharmacy may not have it in stock. I'd recommend calling ahead before going in. You can also use a service called medfinder.com — they'll call pharmacies near you and let you know which ones can fill this prescription."

This brief conversation prevents the frustrated callback and sets the patient up for success.

Step 3: Recommend a Pharmacy Search Tool

medfinder is a paid service that helps patients find medications in stock near them. The patient provides their medication, dosage, and zip code — medfinder calls pharmacies on their behalf and texts them which ones can fill the prescription. It covers all medications, including lidocaine in all its forms.

This is particularly helpful for elderly patients who may struggle with the time and effort of calling multiple pharmacies, and for patients with limited mobility who need to plan their trip in advance.

Step 4: Have a Clear Substitution Protocol Ready

If the patient cannot find lidocaine patches or viscous after a reasonable search, have a substitution plan in place. For postherpetic neuralgia:

• Capsaicin 8% patch (Qutenza): Requires in-office application. Superior PHN pain reduction demonstrated in clinical trials vs. lidocaine patch. Applied once every 3 months.
• Gabapentin or pregabalin: First-line oral treatments for PHN per clinical guidelines. Widely available with good insurance coverage.
• Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, nortriptyline): Low-dose TCAs are effective for neuropathic pain; consider in patients without cardiac contraindications.

Step 5: Streamline Callbacks and Reauthorizations

The shortage creates extra administrative burden — patients call back when they can't fill prescriptions, and pharmacies request prior auth changes for substitutions. Reduce this friction by:

• Pre-authorizing a backup alternative at the time of initial prescribing (document in the chart)
• Using standing orders or a practice protocol for lidocaine shortage substitutions that your staff can execute without a new provider visit
• Giving patients a printed or digital handout with the shortage information and medfinder.com

Partner With medfinder

medfinder works with providers to make medication access easier for their patients. Visit medfinder.com/providers to learn how to integrate medfinder into your practice workflow. For the clinical side of the lidocaine shortage, see our provider shortage update for 2026.