Lasix Shortage Update: What Patients Need to Know in 2026

If you take Lasix (furosemide) and have heard about a shortage, this article gives you the most current patient-facing information available as of 2026. We will cover which forms are in shortage, why the shortage happened, and what you can do to protect your supply.

Current Shortage Status (2026)

Here is the current status of furosemide by formulation as tracked by the FDA and ASHP:

Furosemide tablets (20 mg, 40 mg, 80 mg): Generally available at most retail pharmacies. No national shortage of tablets. Individual pharmacies may have temporary out-of-stock situations with specific generic manufacturers.

Furosemide oral solution (10 mg/mL): Active shortage as of March 2026. Reason: shortage of an inactive ingredient component. Estimated return to availability: TBD. Affects patients who require liquid formulations (children, people who cannot swallow tablets).

Furosemide injection (10 mg/mL vials): Ongoing shortage on the ASHP list since April 2020. Multiple manufacturers affected. Some manufacturers (American Regent, Amneal) have discontinued or are not actively marketing. Others (Avenacy, Avet, Baxter, Devatis, Eugia, Fresenius Kabi, Meitheal, Sagent) have supply available. Pfizer and Hikma report manufacturing delays.

Timeline: How Did the Furosemide Injection Shortage Start?

April 2020: Furosemide injection first added to the ASHP drug shortage database.

2020–2024: Shortage persists due to GMP (good manufacturing practices) compliance issues at multiple facilities. Several manufacturers exit the market or discontinue production.

October 2025: FDA approves Lasix ONYU (subcutaneous furosemide on-body infusor) by SQ Innovation for at-home heart failure treatment — a new option that may reduce hospital demand for IV furosemide.

Early 2026: Hikma reports certain vial sizes on back order. Several oral solution NDC codes declared unavailable due to inactive ingredient shortage. Multiple injection manufacturers continue to have limited or no supply.

April 2026: SQ Innovation announces long-term API supply agreement with FIS to ensure ongoing availability of furosemide for Lasix ONYU.

Why Is the Furosemide Shortage So Hard to Fix?

Furosemide injection falls into a category of drugs that are chronically vulnerable to shortage: sterile injectables of low-cost generics. These drugs face a "race to the bottom" on price that makes them unprofitable for manufacturers. Producing sterile injectables requires:

Sophisticated cleanroom manufacturing facilities

Stringent FDA quality control inspections

Specialized equipment that cannot be quickly replicated or scaled up

Stable supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients

When one manufacturer encounters a GMP violation or quality problem, it can take 12–24 months or more to resolve before production resumes at full capacity. In the meantime, other manufacturers struggle to absorb the increased demand.

Does the Shortage Affect My Oral Lasix Tablets?

The good news for most outpatients: furosemide tablets (the most common form for managing chronic conditions at home) are NOT in a national shortage as of 2026. They are manufactured by many generic companies and are widely stocked at retail and mail-order pharmacies. If you take furosemide tablets for heart failure, hypertension, or edema, the shortage should not directly affect your ability to refill.

That said, specific manufacturers' tablet versions may be temporarily out of stock at individual pharmacies due to normal inventory fluctuations. If this happens, ask your pharmacist to check for another generic manufacturer's product.

Action Steps for Patients in 2026

If you take furosemide tablets: Keep your prescription current, refill early, and consider requesting a 90-day supply.

If you need furosemide oral solution: Contact your pharmacy as early as possible. Ask your doctor whether switching to a crushable or compounded tablet formulation is appropriate.

If your pharmacy is out of stock: Use medfinder to find a pharmacy in your area that has Lasix in stock without spending hours on hold.

If your doctor recommends switching to an alternative: See our guide on Lasix alternatives (torsemide, bumetanide) to understand your options.

The Bottom Line

The 2026 Lasix shortage primarily affects injectable and oral solution formulations — not the tablets most outpatients rely on. If you are struggling to find your medication, medfinder can help locate pharmacies near you that have it in stock. And if your medication truly is unavailable, your doctor can evaluate whether a therapeutic alternative is appropriate for your situation.