Struggling to find Gonal-F in stock? Learn why this fertility medication is hard to find in 2026 and what you can do to get your prescription filled.
You've just been told you need Gonal-F for your fertility treatment, and now you're calling pharmacy after pharmacy hearing the same thing: "We don't have it in stock." It's stressful, it's time-sensitive, and it feels like the system is working against you.
The truth is, Gonal-F (follitropin alfa) has become one of the more difficult fertility medications to find consistently in 2026. But there are real reasons behind the shortage — and real steps you can take to get your medication. Let's break it all down.
Gonal-F is a brand-name injectable fertility medication made by EMD Serono. Its active ingredient is follitropin alfa, a recombinant (lab-made) version of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is the natural hormone your body uses to stimulate the growth and maturation of eggs in the ovaries.
Doctors prescribe Gonal-F for:
It's most commonly used as the Gonal-F RFF Redi-ject prefilled pen, which patients inject under the skin at home. To learn more about how this medication works, check out our guide on how Gonal-F works.
There are several reasons Gonal-F has been difficult to locate at pharmacies in 2026:
Unlike simple pills, Gonal-F is a biologic medication — it's produced using living cells in highly controlled laboratory conditions. This manufacturing process is expensive, time-consuming, and sensitive to disruption. If any step in production fails quality checks, entire batches can be delayed or discarded. There's no quick way to ramp up production when demand spikes.
As of 2026, there is no FDA-approved generic or biosimilar version of Gonal-F available in the United States. While biosimilars like Ovaleap and Bemfola exist in Europe, they haven't been brought to the US market. This means EMD Serono is the sole manufacturer, and any production issue directly impacts the entire US supply.
Gonal-F is a specialty medication that requires cold-chain storage and careful handling. It's not typically stocked at your neighborhood CVS or Walgreens in large quantities. Most patients fill their prescriptions through specialty pharmacies, which have their own supply chains and allocation systems. When supply is tight, even specialty pharmacies may have limited stock of certain pen strengths.
The demand for fertility treatments, particularly IVF, has been steadily increasing. More people are pursuing assisted reproduction, and more states are mandating insurance coverage for fertility treatments. This growing demand puts additional pressure on an already constrained supply of gonadotropin medications like Gonal-F.
Even during tight supply periods, there are concrete steps you can take:
Don't rely on a single pharmacy. Specialty pharmacies that focus on fertility medications — like Freedom Fertility, Encompass Fertility, or Alto Pharmacy — often have better access to Gonal-F than retail chains. Your fertility clinic may also have preferred pharmacy partners with allocated supply.
Tools like Medfinder can help you search for Gonal-F availability across pharmacies in real time, saving you hours of phone calls. Check out our detailed guide on how to find Gonal-F in stock near you for more strategies.
Don't wait until the last minute. As soon as your treatment protocol is set, alert your clinic's nursing or pharmacy coordinator so they can begin sourcing your medications. Many clinics keep some Gonal-F in their own dispensaries for urgent situations.
If Gonal-F truly isn't available, your doctor may be able to switch you to another FSH medication like Follistim AQ (follitropin beta) or Menopur (menotropins). These aren't identical, but they serve a similar purpose. Read more in our post on alternatives to Gonal-F.
If you do find Gonal-F but the price is a barrier, EMD Serono's Compassionate Care Program may provide the medication for free if you qualify financially. We cover this and more in our guide on how to save money on Gonal-F.
Finding Gonal-F in 2026 can feel overwhelming, especially when you're already navigating the emotional and physical demands of fertility treatment. But understanding why the shortage exists can help you plan ahead and take the right steps.
The most important thing you can do is start looking early, use every resource available, and stay in close communication with your fertility team. Gonal-F is out there — it just takes a little more effort to find it right now.
Use Medfinder to check real-time availability and take one thing off your plate.
You focus on staying healthy. We'll handle the rest.
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