Your Patients Can't Find Lorazepam — Here's How You Can Help

You've written the prescription. Your patient needs it. But they're calling back saying no pharmacy has Lorazepam in stock. This scenario has become increasingly common in 2026 as supply disruptions continue to affect benzodiazepine availability across the country.

As a prescriber, you're not responsible for pharmacy inventory — but you are in a position to help. This guide outlines practical, clinic-ready steps to help your patients access Lorazepam when supply is tight.

Current Availability Overview

Lorazepam oral tablets (0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg) are still actively manufactured by multiple generic producers in the United States. The drug is not discontinued and is not formally on the FDA Drug Shortage list for oral formulations as of early 2026.

However, availability is inconsistent at the pharmacy level. The primary drivers include:

• DEA manufacturing quotas limiting annual production volume
• Elevated demand that has persisted since the pandemic-era increase in benzodiazepine prescribing
• Chain pharmacy inventory systems that may understock controlled substances
• Supply chain variability affecting raw material sourcing

For a comprehensive timeline, see our provider shortage briefing.

Why Patients Can't Find Lorazepam

Understanding the patient experience helps frame your response:

• Their usual pharmacy is out: Chain pharmacies often can't tell patients when the next shipment will arrive
• Transfer barriers: Patients may not know they can transfer controlled substance prescriptions (rules vary by state)
• Calling fatigue: Patients report calling 5–10 pharmacies without success, which adds to anxiety for a population already managing an anxiety disorder
• Fear of going without: Many patients understand the risks of abrupt benzodiazepine discontinuation, which amplifies their stress
• Stigma: Some patients feel uncomfortable calling multiple pharmacies for a controlled substance, fearing they'll be perceived as "drug-seeking"

5 Steps Providers Can Take

Step 1: Direct Patients to Medfinder

Medfinder provides real-time pharmacy stock information. Instead of asking patients to cold-call pharmacies, direct them to Medfinder to search for Lorazepam availability by location.

Consider adding Medfinder to your after-visit summary or discharge instructions for patients on medications with known supply issues. A simple line like: "If your pharmacy is out of stock, check medfinder.com to find nearby pharmacies with Lorazepam available" can save patients significant time and stress.

Step 2: Prescribe With Strength Flexibility

Stock-outs are often strength-specific. If your patient takes 2 mg tablets and they're unavailable, consider:

• Prescribing 1 mg tablets with instructions to take two per dose
• Prescribing 0.5 mg tablets with adjusted quantity
• Noting on the prescription or communicating to the pharmacy that therapeutic substitution of equivalent strength is acceptable

This flexibility dramatically increases the chances of a successful fill.

Step 3: Send to Multiple Pharmacies When Appropriate

While you can't send the same controlled substance prescription to multiple pharmacies simultaneously, you can:

• Ask the patient which pharmacy has stock (via Medfinder or phone calls) before sending the e-prescription
• Send the prescription to a pharmacy the patient has confirmed has Lorazepam available
• If the first pharmacy can't fill it, cancel that prescription and send to a new pharmacy

Step 4: Consider Therapeutic Alternatives

If a patient has been unable to find Lorazepam after reasonable effort, consider whether a therapeutic alternative is clinically appropriate:

• Clonazepam (Klonopin): Longer-acting, often more available. Equivalence: Lorazepam 1 mg ≈ Clonazepam 0.5 mg.
• Diazepam (Valium): Very long-acting. Good for taper situations. Equivalence: Lorazepam 1 mg ≈ Diazepam 5 mg.
• Alprazolam (Xanax): Faster onset, shorter duration. Equivalence: Lorazepam 1 mg ≈ Alprazolam 0.5 mg.
• Hydroxyzine (Vistaril): Non-controlled; suitable for mild-moderate anxiety when benzodiazepine avoidance is appropriate.

Frame alternatives as temporary if the plan is to return to Lorazepam once supply stabilizes. This reassures patients who are doing well on their current regimen.

Step 5: Provide a Bridge Prescription

If a patient is at risk of running out before they can find a pharmacy with stock, consider writing a short-term bridge prescription — for example, a 7-day supply — to prevent withdrawal while they locate a full fill.

Document your clinical reasoning for the bridge prescription in the chart, noting the supply issue as the precipitating factor.

Workflow Tips for Your Practice

Integrating shortage awareness into your practice workflow can prevent patient crises:

Proactive Refill Conversations

At each visit with a Lorazepam patient, ask: "Have you been having any trouble getting your prescription filled?" This opens the door before the patient runs out.

Flag Affected Medications in Your EHR

If your EHR supports medication alerts, flag Lorazepam (and other supply-affected medications) so that prescribers see a reminder to discuss availability at the point of prescribing.

Staff Education

Brief your MA, nursing, and front-desk staff on common patient questions about drug shortages. Empower them to direct patients to Medfinder and to escalate refill issues to the prescriber promptly.

Taper Plan Documentation

For all patients on benzodiazepines, ensure a documented taper plan exists in the chart. If a patient must discontinue due to supply issues, having a pre-established taper protocol allows for faster, safer clinical decision-making.

Coordinate With Pharmacy Partners

If your practice has preferred pharmacy partners, touch base with them periodically about controlled substance stock levels. Some pharmacies are willing to reserve stock for patients of referring practices when they know there's consistent demand.

Final Thoughts

Medication access is increasingly a clinical concern, not just a logistical one. For patients on Lorazepam, the stress of not finding their medication compounds the very condition it's meant to treat.

By directing patients to tools like Medfinder, maintaining prescribing flexibility, and keeping alternatives in your toolkit, you can significantly reduce the burden on patients navigating the current supply environment.

For additional context, share our patient-facing shortage update with patients who want to better understand what's happening — and review our full provider briefing on the Lorazepam shortage for clinical details.