Comprehensive medication guide to Intralipid including estimated pricing, availability information, side effects, and how to find it in stock at your local pharmacy.
Estimated Insurance Pricing
$0–$50 copay/coinsurance for qualifying patients; Intralipid is covered under the medical/DME benefit (not pharmacy) as part of parenteral nutrition. Medicare Part B covers 80% after deductible for patients with documented intestinal failure. Commercial insurance prior authorization almost always required.
Estimated Cash Pricing
$51–$315 retail depending on volume: approximately $51–$60 per 250 mL and $314 per 1,000 mL of Intralipid 20%. No generic available. Savings cards (SingleCare) can reduce cost to approximately $50.77 per 250 mL.
Medfinder Findability Score
62/100
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Intralipid is a brand-name intravenous fat emulsion manufactured by Fresenius Kabi. It is a sterile, milky white liquid composed of 100% soybean oil, emulsified with egg phospholipids and stabilized with glycerin for IV administration. Intralipid is the lipid component of parenteral nutrition (PN) — medical-grade IV feeding used when patients cannot absorb nutrition through the gastrointestinal tract.
Intralipid has been in clinical use since 1962 in Europe and received FDA approval in the United States in 1975. It has been administered in more than 200 million infusions globally, making it one of the most established IV nutritional products in medicine. It is available in 10%, 20%, and 30% concentrations. The 20% formulation is the most commonly used in clinical practice.
FDA-approved uses include: parenteral nutrition as a caloric and essential fatty acid source for adults and pediatric patients, and prevention of essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD). Off-label uses include lipid rescue therapy for local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST).
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Intralipid delivers essential fatty acids and fat-derived calories (2.0 kcal/mL for the 20% formulation) directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract. The soybean oil is emulsified into microscopic fat droplets by egg phospholipids — stabilizers that keep the oil particles suspended in the water-based emulsion and allow them to circulate in the blood without clumping.
Once infused, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) — an enzyme lining blood vessel walls throughout the body — breaks down the fat droplets into free fatty acids and glycerol. These free fatty acids are then taken up by tissues (especially muscle, heart, and liver) for energy production through beta-oxidation. Linoleic acid (omega-6, 44-62%) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3, 4-11%) — the essential fatty acids in soybean oil — are incorporated into phospholipid cell membranes, supporting membrane integrity and immune function.
In lipid rescue therapy for LAST, a rapid high-dose Intralipid bolus creates a lipid 'sink' in the bloodstream that pulls lipophilic local anesthetics (e.g., bupivacaine) away from cardiac and neural tissue, redistributing them to the liver and muscle for detoxification — rapidly reversing cardiovascular collapse.
10% — IV emulsion
100 mL, 250 mL, 500 mL bags; 10 g soybean oil per 100 mL; 1.1 kcal/mL
20% — IV emulsion
100 mL, 250 mL, 500 mL, 1000 mL bags; 20 g soybean oil per 100 mL; 2.0 kcal/mL (most common)
30% — IV emulsion (Pharmacy Bulk Package)
500 mL; 30 g soybean oil per 100 mL; for pharmacy compounding only — not for direct IV administration
Intralipid is not available at retail pharmacies. It is exclusively dispensed through hospital pharmacies (for inpatient use) and licensed home infusion pharmacies (for home parenteral nutrition patients). This specialty distribution channel means it is not searchable on GoodRx, pharmacy websites, or standard prescription insurance portals. Patients and caregivers must contact home infusion pharmacies directly.
As of 2026, Intralipid is not listed on the FDA's Drug Shortage Database as a nationally short product. Fresenius Kabi has maintained production. However, localized supply issues can still occur at individual home infusion pharmacies due to cold-chain logistics, demand surges, or distribution delays. The absence of an official shortage does not mean every pharmacy will have it available.
If you're struggling to locate Intralipid, medfinder can help. Submit your medication name, concentration, and location, and medfinder's team will contact pharmacies in your area to identify which ones have Intralipid in stock and can fill your prescription. Results are texted back to you.
Intralipid is not a controlled substance and can be prescribed by any licensed provider with prescribing authority. However, because it is a component of complex parenteral nutrition (PN) therapy, it is typically managed by specialists with expertise in clinical nutrition and the underlying conditions that require PN.
Gastroenterologists — most common prescribers for home PN patients with intestinal failure or malabsorption
Intensivists / Critical Care Physicians — manage PN in ICU settings for critically ill patients
Surgeons (General, Colorectal) — initiate PN after major bowel surgeries; transition care to GI specialists
Neonatologists / Pediatric Gastroenterologists — manage PN in NICU and pediatric patients
Oncologists — prescribe for cancer patients with GI complications preventing oral nutrition
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) — can prescribe within nutrition support teams or specialist practices with appropriate authority
While Intralipid as a standalone product is not available via telehealth, established home PN patients can have their Intralipid dose and PN formula adjusted through telehealth visits with their nutrition support specialist. Initial PN setup requires in-person evaluation, IV access placement, and hands-on patient training through a home infusion pharmacy.
No. Intralipid is not a controlled substance. It is not scheduled by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and has no potential for abuse, dependence, or diversion. Any licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant with prescribing authority can prescribe Intralipid without special DEA registration or specific state-level controlled substance licensing requirements.
Because Intralipid is part of a complex parenteral nutrition regimen that requires compounding, IV access management, and clinical monitoring, it is typically managed by specialist providers (gastroenterologists, nutrition support teams, intensivists) and home infusion pharmacies — not as a matter of controlled substance regulation, but due to the clinical complexity of home PN therapy.
The most common adverse reactions (≥5% in adult clinical trials) are:
Nausea
Vomiting
Pyrexia (fever)
Hypertriglyceridemia (elevated blood triglycerides)
BOXED WARNING: Acute respiratory distress, metabolic acidosis, and death from rapid infusion in neonates and infants
Parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease (PNALD/IFALD) — risk increases with long-term use, especially in preterm neonates
Fat overload syndrome — fever, anemia, coagulopathy, hepatomegaly, altered mental status, seizures
Hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylaxis, rash, dyspnea) — stop infusion immediately if suspected
Refeeding syndrome — dangerous electrolyte shifts in severely malnourished patients
Aluminum toxicity — risk in renal impairment and preterm neonates
Thrombocytopenia in neonates
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SMOFlipid
Multi-oil IV emulsion (30% soybean, 30% MCT, 25% olive, 15% fish oil) by Fresenius Kabi. Lower omega-6:omega-3 ratio (2.5:1 vs 7:1), more anti-inflammatory fatty acid profile. FDA-approved 2016 for adults. Preferred alternative when Intralipid is unavailable or when PNALD risk is a concern.
Clinolipid
Olive oil/soybean oil blend (80%/20%) by Baxter Healthcare. Rich in oleic acid (omega-9), lower PUFA content. FDA-approved for adult PN. Suitable for patients where omega-3 fish oil content of SMOFlipid is not desired.
Omegaven
100% fish oil IV emulsion by Fresenius Kabi. FDA-approved 2018 for pediatric patients with parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis (PNAC). Not approved for routine adult PN or prevention.
Nutrilipid
100% soybean oil IV emulsion clinically similar to Intralipid. May be available from alternative distributors when Intralipid is backordered.
Prefer Intralipid? We can find it.
Warfarin (Coumadin)
moderateIntralipid contains ~300 mcg/L vitamin K, which can counteract warfarin's anticoagulant effect. Monitor INR closely when starting, stopping, or changing Intralipid doses. Consistent Intralipid dosing generally allows for stable warfarin management.
Propofol
moderatePropofol is formulated in a 10% soybean oil emulsion (1.1 kcal/mL). Concurrent use adds to the total lipid load — calculate combined fat from both propofol and Intralipid to avoid exceeding 3 g fat/kg/24h maximum and risk of fat overload syndrome.
Insulin
minorPN is glucose-rich; careful insulin management is required. Do not add insulin directly to Intralipid — add to the full TPN admixture under pharmacist direction. Blood glucose monitoring is standard during PN initiation.
Heparin
minorHeparin activates lipoprotein lipase, transiently increasing free fatty acid levels. Can affect triglyceride measurements drawn shortly after heparin flush. Draw labs before heparin flush when possible.
Cyclosporine / Tacrolimus
minorHighly lipophilic immunosuppressants may have altered distribution with large lipid infusions. Monitor drug levels carefully in transplant patients receiving Intralipid-containing PN.
Intralipid has been a cornerstone of parenteral nutrition for over 50 years, providing lifesaving calories and essential fatty acids to patients who cannot eat or absorb nutrition through their digestive system. From NICU neonates to adults with intestinal failure, Intralipid plays an irreplaceable role in clinical nutrition. Its long safety record and established efficacy make it a first-line choice for IV lipid delivery in PN.
Patients and caregivers managing home PN with Intralipid should be aware of its specialty distribution (home infusion pharmacies only, not retail), the importance of consistent lab monitoring, and the availability of clinical alternatives (SMOFlipid, Clinolipid) if supply issues arise. Working closely with your nutrition support team and maintaining proactive communication with your home infusion pharmacy are the most important steps you can take to maintain access.
If you're ever having trouble locating Intralipid at a pharmacy near you, medfinder can search home infusion pharmacies in your area and text you the results — saving you time and reducing stress during an already challenging situation.
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