Tresiba Shortage Update: What Patients Need to Know in 2026

The shortage of Tresiba (insulin degludec) has been one of the most impactful insulin supply issues in recent years. Patients across the country continue to report difficulty filling their prescriptions in early 2026. If you're one of the many people trying to get your basal insulin and coming up empty-handed, this update is for you.

What Is the Current Status of the Tresiba Shortage?

As of early 2026, Tresiba remains in intermittent short supply at many retail pharmacies across the United States. The shortage primarily affects the Tresiba FlexTouch U-200 formulation, though U-100 pens and vials have also experienced periodic stockouts at some locations. Novo Nordisk, the sole manufacturer of insulin degludec, has acknowledged the supply constraints and stated that production is being ramped up to meet demand.

Supply is gradually improving but has not fully normalized. Patients in some areas report no problems finding Tresiba, while others are being turned away at multiple pharmacies. This regional patchwork pattern is typical of distribution-level shortages.

What's Causing the Tresiba Shortage in 2026?

Multiple factors have contributed to the ongoing shortage:

Single-source manufacturing: Novo Nordisk is the only manufacturer of insulin degludec. There are no biosimilars or generics available in the US. Any disruption in their supply chain has immediate and wide-ranging effects.

Surging demand: The Inflation Reduction Act's $35/month Medicare insulin cap (effective January 2025) dramatically increased insulin utilization as previously cost-burdened patients were able to fill prescriptions.

Formulary shifts: Insurance plans that added Tresiba as a preferred formulary drug sent large numbers of new patients to pharmacies at the same time, creating immediate local shortages.

Levemir discontinuation: With Levemir (insulin detemir) being fully phased out by Novo Nordisk, former Levemir patients were redirected to alternatives including Tresiba, further increasing demand.

Manufacturing complexity: Insulin analogs are biologic medications requiring complex, specialized manufacturing processes that cannot be scaled up overnight.

Which Tresiba Formulations Are Most Affected?

The U-200 FlexTouch pen (200 units/mL, 3-pen boxes) has been harder to find than U-100 throughout the shortage. If your pharmacy is out of the U-200, ask them to check for U-100 pens or vials — both contain the same insulin degludec, just at a different concentration. Your doctor and pharmacist can help you make the switch between concentrations safely.

How Long Will the Tresiba Shortage Last?

Novo Nordisk expects supply to gradually improve throughout 2026 as new manufacturing capacity comes online. However, there is no firm end date for the shortage. Intermittent local shortages may continue even as the overall supply picture improves nationally. Patients should continue to plan ahead and be proactive about refilling Tresiba well before they run out.

What Should Patients Do Right Now?

Use medfinder to find pharmacies near you with Tresiba in stock — it checks multiple locations at once.

Refill early — start looking for your refill at least 1-2 weeks before you run out.

Ask for both concentrations — if U-200 isn't available, ask about U-100 (and vice versa).

Talk to your doctor about a contingency plan — identify which alternative basal insulin you'd use and at what dose if Tresiba becomes unavailable.

Try mail-order pharmacies — they often maintain better supply than retail pharmacies during shortages.

Report the shortage to the FDA at fda.gov — patient reports help the FDA track the scope and impact of drug shortages.

Never Go Without Your Basal Insulin

If you are running out of Tresiba and cannot find it, contact your doctor immediately. They can prescribe an alternative basal insulin such as Insulin Glargine (Lantus, Basaglar, Toujeo) to bridge the gap. For a detailed comparison of alternatives, see: Alternatives to Tresiba If You Can't Fill Your Prescription.

Going without basal insulin even for a day or two can cause significant blood sugar elevation. For people with type 1 diabetes, it can trigger diabetic ketoacidosis. This is a medical emergency. No shortage justifies skipping insulin — please contact your healthcare team if you are running low.