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

The ongoing Trulicity (dulaglutide) shortage has created an additional burden for healthcare providers. Patients are calling offices asking for help locating their medication, clinical staff are spending time on hold with pharmacies, and providers are faced with last-minute decisions about therapeutic substitutions. This guide offers a practical framework for helping your patients find Trulicity efficiently — while protecting their continuity of care.

Step 1: Proactively Identify High-Risk Patients

Not all patients face equal risk from a Trulicity interruption. Prioritize proactive outreach for:

• Patients taking Trulicity 3 mg or 4.5 mg — these higher doses are most affected by the shortage

• Patients with established cardiovascular disease using Trulicity for MACE risk reduction — therapy interruption removes a proven protective benefit

• Patients with poorly controlled T2DM (A1C > 8.5%) — they are most likely to experience rapid glucose deterioration with missed doses

• Patients with limited health literacy or limited English who may struggle to navigate pharmacy calls themselves

Step 2: Reduce the Pharmacy Burden on Your Staff

One of the most effective ways to help your patients — without overwhelming your staff — is to refer them to medfinder. medfinder calls pharmacies near your patient to locate which ones have Trulicity in stock, then texts results to the patient directly. This takes the burden of pharmacy phone calls off your clinical team and gives patients a concrete next step.

Step 3: Give Patients a Clear Pharmacy Search Strategy

Patients often assume their usual pharmacy is representative of all pharmacies. Coach them on the full range of options:

• National chains (CVS, Walgreens) — call multiple locations, not just the nearest one

• Big-box store pharmacies (Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club) — different wholesale relationships often mean different stock

• Independent community pharmacies — often underutilized; may have stock that chains don't

• Mail-order pharmacies — national supply networks may have better availability; instruct patients to check with their insurance PBM (Express Scripts, OptumRx, CVS Caremark)

Step 4: Have a Pre-Built Therapeutic Substitution Protocol

Rather than making substitution decisions reactively when a patient calls in crisis, develop a standing protocol for your practice. This might include:

• A first-choice substitute (e.g., semaglutide SC for most patients) with dosing guidance already templated

• A second-choice substitute for patients where semaglutide is unavailable or covered differently (e.g., liraglutide)

• Pre-authorization templates for common payer plans that require PA for GLP-1 switches

• An appeal letter template for plans that deny coverage for alternatives to Trulicity during shortage

Step 5: Address Insurance Coverage for Alternatives

One of the most significant barriers when switching GLP-1 medications is insurance coverage. Plans may cover Trulicity but require prior authorization for Ozempic or tirzepatide. When contacting a payer for prior authorization during a documented shortage:

• Reference the FDA drug shortage database listing for dulaglutide as documentation

• Emphasize the patient's prior therapy and clinical need for continuity of a GLP-1 agonist

• Request an exception or bridge authorization for the alternative while the shortage continues

Step 6: Leverage Manufacturer Savings Programs

If your patient does locate Trulicity, remind them about available savings options that can significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs:

• Trulicity Savings Card: Commercially insured patients may pay as little as $25/month. Not valid for Medicare/Medicaid.

• Lilly Cares Foundation: Provides free Trulicity to qualifying patients with income at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level who are uninsured or on Medicare Part D. Call 1-800-545-6962.

Provider Bottom Line

Helping your patients navigate the Trulicity shortage is a team effort. Use proactive identification, scalable tools like medfinder for providers, pre-built substitution protocols, and payer advocacy to protect your patients' continuity of care. For a deeper clinical dive into the shortage itself, see our article on what providers need to know about the Trulicity shortage in 2026.