Why is there Trulicity Shortage in 2023 – When will its end?

Is Trulicity on Shortage? Hello There!! Hope you all are doing well! Do you know? Eli Lilly has Trulicity on Shortage in 2023, and the shortage is expected to be there for the next few months or even more. If you are unaware of this fact, this blog is the right place for you. This blog has discussed almost everything on Trulicity Shortages, causes, and many more.

So, Let’s get weaving!!

Is There A Shortage Of Trulicity In 2023

As we all know, Trulicity is a well-known drug in treating diabetes, and it is one of the best-selling drugs. But, On Thursday, the company announced that this drug had been added to the Food and Drug Administration’s shortage list. The U.S. health regulator added those drugs to its list which were facing shortages, in which Eli Lilly and Co’s Mounjaro is one of them.

Suppose you want to know about drug shortages and keep yourself updated with that information. In that case, it is better to check on FDA reports because all the manufacturers provide the drug shortage, discontinuation, or any other information related to drugs reported to the FDA. The organization works closely with them to reduce the negative impact of its shortages.

FDA reports stated, Trulicity and Mounjaro, the diabetes-treating drugs produced by Eli Lilly Co., are currently in shortage; it has been noted that there are 3 and 4.5 mg doses of Trulicity in short supply as the shipment of these doses of Trulicity is going on as it is not enough to meet the high demands of the customers.

Regarding its delays in the supply of these two drugs, Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi stated in a conference call with the representatives, “We do expect to see intermittent delays at wholesalers and pharmacies in receiving some Mounjaro doses.”

To maintain the balance and avoid shortages of the two drugs, i.e., Mounjaro and Trulicity, the company decided to expand its manufacturing process through its facility in North Carolina for these two particular drugs to meet the customer’s requirements. But the company has doubted it will be by the end of 2023 or maybe early in 2024.

If we talk about its future growth, the company, and the investors are hoping for Mounjaro to drive the future increment and Trulicity’s annual revenue. It generated around 5.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2023 by the end of September.

Mounjaro, which is also known by the name of Tirzepatide, and approved for diabetes. The company suggested this drug get the nod for diabetes and obesity. Trulicity and Mounjaro are both drugs that have been used for weight management.

Why Is There a Shortage Of Trulicity?

Trulicity is a type of drug, and Drugs can be short in supply for many reasons. The first and Foremost possible reason can be the discontinuation of that particular drug. To know whether the drug is discontinued, you have to check and keep all the updated records of the drugs. 

Other reasons can be defeats in quality, manufacturing process, delays in supply, or many more.

Eli Lilly mentioned that the company was continuously unable to meet customers’ demand for the two drugs, Mounjaro and Trulicity, as it makes four dosage forms of Trulicity and six dosage forms of Mounjaro.

But in this case (shortages of Trulicity), the company announced its shortage because they struggled to meet the hiking demand for the Trulicity diabetes injection.

Yes, the companies that manufacture drugs will expand their manufacturing capacities. Still, this year has proven to be havoc for several major drugs as there are many diabetes-treating drugs that have been in short supply this year, including Adderall, Amoxicillin, Wegovy, Ozempic, and now the other diabetes drugs are also at stake, i.e., Trulicity and Mounjaro in the U.S.

Trulicity (Dulaglutide) shortages are expected to continue until 30th June 2023, according to TGA Medicine Shortage Reports. As Eli Lilly announced, it has a limited stock of the T2D med Trulicity. Because there is supply pressure resulting from increased demand, as we have discussed above in this blog post.

There is a shortage, delays, and interruptions in stock nowadays because the company has limited stock availability; that’s why there is a shortage issue going on through wholesalers and pharmacies.

The company stated, “We are frequently contacting the wholesalers and trying to resolve this issue as we closely monitor the stock levels and release that the stock is limited.

It needs to work on its manufacturing capacity as equitably as possible. We also observed that patients experienced delays of days or several weeks in having their medications, depending on location and wholesaler.

It is better to recommend other treatments if possible. Healthcare professionals are also requested to keep a limited stock of the product and make treatment choices, particularly for the new patients initiating the process.

On a short note, Lilly has Trulicity on shortage because of the increasing demand in 2023.

Is Trulicity Still Available In The Market?

Yes! Trulicity is still available in the market; we are not saying that this has been discontinued permanently or temporarily; it’s all about its shortages due to increased demand. 

Some ask, “Is Trulicity being discontinued?” the answer is No. While some are asking, “When will the Trulicity shortage end?” We can expect the Trulicity shortage to end after June 2023, as we don’t expect its shortage to end before 30th June 2023. 

If you are looking for Trulicity, you must discuss it with the doctors for the treatment plan, as Eli Lilly can’t guarantee a normal supply of Trulicity until June 2023.

What Points Should One Keep In Mind Before Or While Having Trulicity?

The most common side effects of the consumption of Trulicity include Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain, Fatigue, Indigestion, Nausea, Vomiting, Decreased Appetite, etc.

But if you observe serious side effects, you should discontinue its use and ask your doctor for issues like Inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis), hypoglycemia, serious allergic reactions, acute kidney injury, change in vision, stomach problems, etc. gallbladder problems, and several others.

Also, suppose you observe any lump or swelling in any part of the body, especially in the neck, trouble swallowing, breathlessness, or hoarseness. In that case, you should better consult a doctor because Trulicity may cause tumors in the thyroid that leads to thyroid cancer. If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, tell your healthcare provider.

Points To Keep In Mind:

  • If you or any of your family members are suffering from Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC), then this drug is not designed for you, so you better avoid this drug.
  • If you are allergic to dulaglutide or any other ingredients containing Trulicity, you must keep them away.
  • If you have Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndrome Type 2 (MEN 2), you don’t have to consume Trulicity.

What To Do If Trulicity Is Out Of Stock?

Whenever the stock of the required item, including drugs, gets limited or short in supply, you always look for other alternatives. Once you find a similar alternative to that particular item at affordable rates, you directly switch to it. Right. Similarly, Trulicity is very hard to get this time because it is going out of stock. So, patients seek natural or other options similar to Trulicity with fewer side effects.

So, let’s look at some possible natural alternatives to Trulicity that come with no side effects, and patients wish for a natural treatment option. 

Natural Treatment Options Include:

  • Physical Exercise
  • Low Carbohydrate Diet
  • Weight Loss
  • Supplements such as Dietary Fiber and Cinnamon
  • Healthy Lifestyle
  • Try not to rely on prescription medication.

They all benefit your entire health and reduce your reliance on prescribed medicines by eliminating your pill burden. So, these are natural ways to treat your ailments.

Another option is to switch from Trulicity to other Alternatives similar to Trulicity. To do so, first, get your healthcare provider’s medical advice. Once your H.P. allows you to rely on other alternatives, you can go ahead with the alternatives to Trulicity. 

Here we’ve shared a list of a few items that are equally similar to Trulicity, and you can rely on them to treat type 2 diabetes. The next section discusses the Recommended Alternatives To Trulicity.

Recommended Alternatives To Trulicity?

Trulicity is one of the best-selling and preferable drugs, but its shortage forced patients to switch from Trulicity to other alternatives. While some are switching as Trulicity doesn’t work for everyone!! Do you want to know, then get the list of a few recommended alternatives to Trulicity here:

  • Ozempic (Semaglutide)
  • Rybelsus (Semaglutide)
  • Victoza (Liraglutide)
  • Mounjaro (Terzepatide)
  • Farxiga (Dapagliflozin)
  • Jardiance (Empagliflozin)
  • Invokana (Canagliflozin)
  • Glipizide
  • Amaryl (Glimepiride)
  • Repaglinide
  • Metformin
  • Januvia (Sitagliptin)
  • Actos (Pioglitazone)
  • Lantus Solostar (Insulin Glargine)
  • Xigduo XR
  • Qtern (Dapagliflozin/ Saxagliptin)
  • Invokamet (Canagliflozin/ Metformin)
  • Synjardy (Empagliflozin/ Metformin)
  • Adkyxin (Lixisenatide)
  • Glyxambi (Empagliflozin/ Linagliptin)
  • Bydureon Bcise (Exenatide)
  • Glyburide

These medications should be injected into the upper arm, thigh, or abdomen. It should always be injected subcutaneously/ underneath the skin.

Wrapping Up

We’ve concluded that Trulicity is short in supply for the next few months, and the company is trying to keep its stock availability on track.

If we talk about drug shortages this year, it doesn’t mean we only talk about Trulicity and Mounjaro. Still, several other drugs have been short in supply recently or discontinued by the company, such as Wegovy from Novo Nordisk (NOVOb. C.O.), Ozempic, and many more. 

These drugs are struggling with supply problems and have been plagued by rival obesity drugs. All these companies that manufacture drugs are working on boosting their manufacturing capacity.