Your Patients Are Struggling to Find Progesterone — Here's How to Help

You've probably heard it from patients more than once: "My pharmacy says they can't get my Progesterone." Whether they need it for menopausal hormone therapy, amenorrhea, or fertility support, the ongoing shortage has turned a routine prescription into a source of anxiety and frustration.

As a prescriber, you're in a unique position to help. This guide outlines practical, actionable steps you can take to help your patients navigate the Progesterone shortage — without adding hours to your already packed schedule.

For a clinical overview of the shortage, including affected formulations and prescribing alternatives, see our provider briefing on the Progesterone shortage.

Current Availability: What's in Stock and What Isn't

As of early 2026, the ASHP drug shortage database lists three Progesterone formulations:

• Oral capsules (Prometrium and generics): Amneal and Virtus have product available, but supply is intermittent. Aurobindo's status is unknown.
• Injection (Progesterone in oil, 50 mg/mL): AuroMedics and Hikma have limited supply. American Regent has exited the market. Fresenius Kabi is experiencing manufacturing delays.
• Vaginal inserts (Endometrin): Listed on shortage with variable availability.

Vaginal gel (Crinone) is not separately listed on the ASHP shortage database but may be hard to find at some pharmacies due to local distribution issues.

The bottom line: Progesterone is still being manufactured and distributed, but inventory is uneven. The key is knowing where to look.

Why Your Patients Can't Find It

Understanding the patient experience helps you offer better guidance:

• Chain pharmacy dependency: Most patients default to large chain pharmacies (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid). During shortages, these high-volume pharmacies are often the first to run out.
• Lack of information: Patients don't have visibility into pharmacy inventory. They find out a drug is unavailable only after driving to the pharmacy or waiting in line.
• Formulation confusion: Patients may not realize that different forms of Progesterone exist. If their pharmacy is out of capsules, they may not know to ask about vaginal gel or compounded options.
• Cost concerns: When patients do find Progesterone at a different pharmacy, the price may vary significantly. Without insurance or with high copays, this can be a barrier to filling the prescription.

What Providers Can Do: 5 Actionable Steps

Step 1: Proactively Inform Patients About the Shortage

Don't let patients discover the shortage at the pharmacy counter. When prescribing Progesterone, briefly mention that supply has been inconsistent and suggest they check availability before leaving the office. A simple heads-up can save them significant time and stress.

Consider sharing patient-facing resources like the Progesterone shortage update for patients or the guide on how to find Progesterone in stock.

Step 2: Use Real-Time Stock Checking Tools

Medfinder for Providers allows you or your staff to check which nearby pharmacies have Progesterone in stock before sending the prescription. This takes less than a minute and dramatically increases the chances your patient will be able to fill their prescription on the first try.

Integrating a quick stock check into your prescribing workflow is the single most impactful step you can take during a shortage.

Step 3: Prescribe Flexibly When Clinically Appropriate

If the patient's clinical situation allows it, consider these prescribing strategies:

• Allow generic substitution: Ensure prescriptions don't specify "Dispense As Written" (DAW) unless there's a specific clinical reason for the brand.
• Specify alternative formulations: If oral capsules are unavailable, consider whether vaginal gel (Crinone) or compounded vaginal suppositories would be appropriate.
• Write for 90-day supplies: When the patient's insurance allows it, a larger fill quantity reduces the frequency of refills and gives the pharmacy more time to source inventory.
• Send prescriptions electronically: E-prescribing allows pharmacies to check stock before the patient arrives and transfer the prescription if needed.

Step 4: Build a Compounding Pharmacy Relationship

Compounding pharmacies can prepare Progesterone in custom formulations — vaginal suppositories (100-200 mg), creams, or troches — when commercial products are unavailable. Having one or two trusted compounding pharmacies in your referral network ensures you have a backup plan.

Key considerations:

• Compounded products are not FDA-approved, so discuss this with patients.
• Quality varies between compounding pharmacies. Choose ones accredited by PCAB (Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board) when possible.
• Insurance typically doesn't cover compounded products. Out-of-pocket costs are usually $30-$100 per month.

Step 5: Have an Alternative Ready

For non-fertility indications, have a second-line agent identified in advance so you can pivot quickly when Progesterone is unavailable:

• Menopausal hormone therapy: Medroxyprogesterone (Provera) 2.5-5 mg daily or 5-10 mg cyclically
• Amenorrhea: Medroxyprogesterone 10 mg for 5-10 days or Norethindrone (Aygestin) 5 mg for 5-10 days
• Fertility/ART: Switching alternatives is more complex — discuss with the patient's reproductive endocrinologist. Compounded vaginal Progesterone or IM Progesterone in oil are the primary alternatives.

A detailed comparison of alternatives is available in our alternatives to Progesterone guide.

Workflow Tips for Your Practice

Integrating shortage management into your daily workflow doesn't have to be burdensome. Here are some practical suggestions:

• Front desk alert: Add a note to your EHR or scheduling system flagging Progesterone as a shortage medication. When a patient is scheduled who takes Progesterone, remind them to check pharmacy stock before their appointment.
• Standardized patient handout: Create a one-page handout listing local pharmacy options, the Medfinder URL, and instructions for what to do if their pharmacy is out of stock.
• Pharmacy liaison: Designate a staff member (nurse or MA) as the point person for shortage-related pharmacy calls. This keeps the provider focused on clinical care while ensuring patients get help navigating availability.
• Batch prior authorizations: If you're frequently prescribing brand-name Prometrium, Crinone, or Endometrin, create PA templates that can be quickly customized for each patient.

Final Thoughts

The Progesterone shortage isn't going away quickly, but with proactive communication, smart prescribing strategies, and the right tools, you can significantly reduce the burden on your patients. The key is building shortage management into your workflow before patients hit a wall at the pharmacy.

Start using Medfinder for Providers to check Progesterone availability in real time, and share our patient resources — including the cost-saving guide and pharmacy search tips — with your patients.

For the full clinical picture, revisit our provider briefing on the Progesterone shortage.