Santyl Shortage Update: What Patients Need to Know in 2026

If you use Santyl (collagenase ointment) for wound care, you may have noticed it was hard to find at pharmacies in 2023 and 2024. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) documented a formal drug shortage for collagenase ointment during that period. Here's a plain-language breakdown of what happened, where things stand in 2026, and what patients should know.

The Santyl Shortage: A Timeline

August 23, 2023: ASHP's Drug Information Service created a shortage bulletin for collagenase ointment, signaling documented supply difficulties with Smith & Nephew's Santyl.

October 2, 2024: ASHP updated the bulletin to note that Smith & Nephew has both the 30-gram and 90-gram Santyl tubes available. This marked the formal resolution of the acute national shortage.

2026: Santyl is generally available from the manufacturer, but individual pharmacy stock continues to vary. Patients in some areas still experience difficulty filling prescriptions at their usual pharmacy.

Why Did the Santyl Shortage Happen?

Santyl is a biologic medication — its active enzyme is derived from the fermentation of Clostridium histolyticum bacteria. Biologic manufacturing is significantly more complex than traditional small-molecule drug manufacturing. Several factors likely contributed to supply difficulties:

Single-source manufacturing. Smith & Nephew is the only manufacturer of Santyl. Any disruption at their facility directly affects national supply with no backup source.

Complex biologic production. Biologic products require specialized fermentation processes and quality controls that can be slower to scale up when demand increases or production problems arise.

No generic or biosimilar alternative. With no other FDA-approved equivalent product, any supply gap for Santyl leaves patients with no direct pharmaceutical substitute.

Is the Santyl Shortage Over in 2026?

The formal national shortage — as tracked by ASHP — has resolved. Smith & Nephew reports both tube sizes available. However, "resolved" at the national level doesn't mean every pharmacy in your area has it. Santyl is a specialty wound care product that many retail chain pharmacies don't stock routinely. Here's what "resolved" actually means for patients:

Specialty pharmacies and wound care center pharmacies are likely to have adequate supply.

Standard retail pharmacies may or may not carry it — and some never did, even before the shortage.

Mail-order specialty pharmacies through your insurance plan are often the most reliable source.

What Should Patients Do Now?

Whether or not you're currently in an area with tight supply, here's what to do if you're having trouble filling your Santyl prescription:

Call your prescriber's office. They may know which local pharmacies have reliable supply or can send your prescription directly to a specialty pharmacy.

Ask about both tube sizes (30g and 90g). A pharmacy may have one size but not the other.

Use medfinder to find pharmacies near you that have it in stock — without spending hours on hold.

Ask your provider about alternatives if Santyl remains unavailable in your area. Options include Medihoney, hydrogel dressings, and sharp debridement.

Could Another Shortage Happen?

It's possible. As long as Santyl remains a single-source biologic with no generic or biosimilar alternative, any manufacturing disruption at Smith & Nephew will directly affect patient access. Patients who rely on Santyl for ongoing wound care should consider maintaining a small reserve supply when possible and discussing contingency plans with their provider.

Key Takeaways

The formal ASHP Santyl shortage was created in August 2023 and resolved by October 2024.

Santyl is generally available from the manufacturer in 2026, but individual pharmacy stock varies.

Specialty pharmacies and wound care center pharmacies are the most reliable sources.

No generic Santyl exists; alternatives use different mechanisms of debridement.

For more on your options if Santyl is unavailable, see our guide: Alternatives to Santyl If You Can't Fill Your Prescription.