How to navigate the Trulicity shortage

Many of the GLP-1s that are in short supply right now are pretty new to the market — like Zepbound (FDA approved in 2023) and Wegovy (FDA approved in 2021). But there is another one experiencing a shortage that’s been around for a decade: Trulicity. As the newer GLP-1 medications became more popular due to their impact on weight, demand for all GLP-1s began rising — including those approved to treat type 2 diabetes like Trulicity. If a Trulicity shortage threatens to derail your GLP-1 program progress, here’s how working with your healthcare provider and pharmacist can help you get access to your medication.

Is there a shortage of Trulicity?

There is currently a Trulicity shortage, according to the FDA’s drug shortage registry. While you can still get it in certain doses, the two highest dosages — 3mg and 4.5mg — have limited availability. (While this is true at the time of publication, things can change. Visit the FDA tracker for the latest shortage information.)

Like other GLP-1 medications, Trulicity is started at a low dose, which is increased gradually until you reach a maximum dosage of 4.5mg, if needed. The maintenance dose, or the dose you ultimately stay at, depends on its effectiveness at controlling blood sugar and how well you tolerate the possible side effects. (These include nausea and vomiting. Find a full list here.) 

Why is there a shortage of Trulicity?

For one, its manufacturer, Eli Lilly, has been changing its focus away from manufacturing Trulicity and towards making newer GLP-1 medications. “The market for Trulicity is shrinking while it's growing for Zepbound and Mounjaro, so Lilly has been devoting resources to production of the latter,” says Dr. Sarah Fishman, M.D., a board-certified endocrinologist at Premier Endocrine in New York, NY.

There may also be a ripple effect from both previous and current shortages of other GLP-1 medications, according to Erin Fox, PharmD, the associate chief pharmacy officer at University of Utah Health. “Patients who might have had trouble getting Mounjaro and some of the other, more popular products for type 2 diabetes might be trying to access Trulicity instead,” she says.

Consequences of the Trulicity shortage

A shortage in Trulicity “is inconvenient and leads to breaks in care,” says Fishman. If you miss a weekly dose of Trulicity, you effectively lose that control over your blood sugar within a week or two as well as its effects on your appetite. As a result, you might experience weight regain if you’ve lost any as well as higher blood sugar, which in the short-term can lead to symptoms like fatigue and blurry vision.

What to do if Trulicity is out of stock

First, talk to your pharmacist to see if they have a backorder list (which serves as a wait list) so you can be notified if and when supply arrives. Also ask if they can look and see if any other locations have supply.


In the meantime, “patients can try to call around to see if other pharmacies have it,” says Candis Morello, PharmD, a professor of clinical pharmacy at UC San Diego. There are a handful of distributors that send medications to various pharmacies, so the big pharmacy chain up the block could have a different supply than a small community pharmacy. This is where being a member of WeightWatchers Clinic can come in handy. Your Care Team will call around on your behalf — up to 10 pharmacies a week — to see if they can find your medication for you. 


While it’s a frustrating situation, try to stay positive. “It's been pretty rare that I've had anybody on a significant dose of medication who hasn't been able to just miss a week or two here and there [before finding it back in stock],” Fishman says.

Trulicity alternatives

When experiencing a Trulicity shortage, there are other GLP-1 medication options that can help manage your blood sugar. “I try to substitute one GLP-1 for another,” says Fishman. These include:

• Ozempic (semaglutide): Semaglutide is a GLP-1 agonist that’s administered via a weekly injection to help you lose weight and manage blood sugar.
  
  
• Victoza (liraglutide): Another GLP-1 medication, this requires a daily injection to help with weight loss and control blood sugar.
  
  
• Mounjaro (tirzepatide): This weekly injection pairs GLP-1 agonists with GIP, a different hormone, making it highly effective for weight management and blood sugar control.
  
  

Make sure to talk to your provider about your options, so you can learn the pros and cons of each and determine the right alternatives for your individual needs.

The bottom line

Although newer and more effective GLP-1s like Ozempic have become more popular than Trulicity, the cascade of GLP-1 shortages have led to a Trulicity backorder too. If you can’t find Trulicity at your pharmacy, try calling around to different locations or talking to your provider about combining smaller doses if they are in stock. Until the Trulicity shortage ends, knowing the best next steps can help keep you and your health on track.