Activated Charcoal Oral Suspension (Actidose Aqua, Actidose) shortage
Not a nationwide shortage — Padagis US has told the FDA it is discontinuing its activated charcoal oral suspensions. The FDA lists this under “To be discontinued” as of Oct 5, 2026: a company stopping its own product. 1 other company sells the same medicine and has not reported a problem, so your pharmacy may be able to order another company’s version.
Padagis is permanently stopping production of its activated charcoal oral suspension (208 mg/mL). Actidose and Insta-Char, two other activated charcoal suspension products, are still listed as available from other manufacturers.
Don’t stop or change your therapy on your own — talk with your prescriber about the plan that fits you, and ask your pharmacist what’s actually available (see options).
Do you take this medicine? See the ‘What to do’ note from Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD →Is activated charcoal still in shortage? — status as of Oct 5, 2026
Still listed as “To be discontinued” as of Oct 5, 2026. Padagis US is stopping its own version only; 1 other company still sells the same medicine and has not reported a problem. Your pharmacy may need to order another company’s version.
The charts count only the companies that reported this shortage to the FDA; companies that haven’t reported a problem are in the green card, and the Supply-Risk rating counts them too.
Shortage timeline
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May 15, 2026Currently in shortage5 of 5 products affected.
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May 15, 2026First reported to the FDA5 products first listed.
Built from FDA posting and update dates. The end date FDA publishes is the posting/update date, not a true resolution date, so durations are approximate.
Which activated charcoal products are affected — by company
Company: Padagis US LLC 📞 866-634-9120 5 NDCS click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Strength | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To Be Discontinued | Actidose Oral Suspension, 208 mg/1 mL | 208 mg/1 mL | — | Discontinuation of the manufacture of the drug | — |
| To Be Discontinued | Actidose Aqua Oral Suspension, 208 mg/1 mL | 208 mg/1 mL | — | Discontinuation of the manufacture of the drug | — |
| To Be Discontinued | Actidose Aqua Oral Suspension, 208 mg/1 mL | 208 mg/1 mL | — | Discontinuation of the manufacture of the drug | — |
| To Be Discontinued | Actidose Aqua Oral Suspension, 208 mg/1 mL | 208 mg/1 mL | — | Discontinuation of the manufacture of the drug | — |
| To Be Discontinued | Actidose Oral Suspension, 208 mg/1 mL | 208 mg/1 mL | — | Discontinuation of the manufacture of the drug | — |
These rows are company reports to the FDA for Activated Charcoal Oral Suspension — they do not cover every company that lists this medicine. A company appears here only if it told the FDA it has a supply problem, so other companies may still have stock. That’s the basis for the Where else can I get activated charcoal? options further down this page.
Why is Padagis US discontinuing activated charcoal?
Padagis US LLC has reported to the FDA that they are permanently stopping production of their activated charcoal oral suspension products — both Actidose and Actidose Aqua — in the 208 mg/1 mL strength. This affects several different package sizes of both formulations (the plain Actidose and the Actidose Aqua version, which is mixed with water). This is a permanent decision, not a temporary supply hiccup.
It's worth noting that Padagis did not share a specific public reason why they made this decision — just that manufacturing is being discontinued. This report reflects only what Padagis has submitted to the FDA, so it speaks only to their products and not to what other manufacturers may be producing.
Based on the company-reported reason(s) and notes on file with the FDA for Activated Charcoal Oral Suspension, summarized in plain English by HelloPharmacist. A drug can be short for more than one reason, and the FDA updates these as companies report changes.
What should I do if I take activated charcoal?
Activated Charcoal Oral Suspension is currently on the FDA drug-shortage list, and I want to walk you through what that means for you.
The one strength on this report, 208 mg/1 mL, has no available source right now from the manufacturer that filed this record. The reason given is that the maker, Padagis US LLC, is discontinuing production of this product. Because of that, this supply problem may be permanent for the products listed here. Keep in mind this report reflects only the manufacturer who filed it — the same medicine may still be supplied by other companies.
Please don't stop or change how you use this medicine on your own. Here is how I'd approach it:
- Talk with your prescriber or pharmacist about next steps, since this product is being discontinued.
- Ask your pharmacy to check wholesalers and other manufacturers — the same medicine (activated charcoal oral suspension) may be available from another maker, such as Insta-Char Aqueous from VistaPharm, though it may not be in local stock.
- Manufacturer contact numbers are listed on this page for reference; pharmacies usually handle those calls.
This is general information from national, manufacturer-reported FDA data and may not match your local pharmacy's actual stock. Your pharmacist or prescriber can help you find the best option for you.
- Ask your pharmacy to check other companies’ versions, other strengths, package sizes, and nearby stores — the options below are a starting point.
- If this is part of an ongoing or essential regimen (for example HIV, seizure, heart, transplant, diabetes or mental-health medicines), arrange continued supply before you run out rather than rationing doses.
Where else can I get activated charcoal?
FDA shortages are company-reported — a company only shows up on the shortage list if it told the FDA it has a supply problem, so not every company that lists activated charcoal oral suspensions is necessarily short. Below are the other listings in the current FDA NDC Directory that are not reported in shortage: the same medicine from companies that haven’t reported a problem (the reporting company is excluded), and other dosage forms. Some listings are repackagers, which relabel another company’s product. These may still be out of stock at your pharmacy, and only your prescriber or pharmacist can decide what’s right for you.
Same medicine from other companies (not reporting a shortage)
Same active ingredient, dosage form & route as the shortage (matched on the FDB HICL ingredient code), from companies that have not filed a shortage with the FDA:
| Product | Strength | Form / route | Company | NDC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insta-Char Aqueous | ACTIVATED CHARCOAL 25 g/240mL | Suspension · Oral | VistaPharm, LLC | 66689-0113-08 |
Therapeutic equivalents & pricing 5 productsclick to expand
Orange Book–rated equivalents of the affected strengths, with the latest NADAC price (a federal retail-acquisition benchmark, not your copay) and an evidence-based availability label. Cheapest first.
| Product | Manufacturer | Package | NADAC $/unit | AB rating | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actidose 208 mg/mL | Padagis | 120 ml | — | — | FDA listed |
| Actidose Aqua 208 mg/mL | Padagis | 120 ml | — | — | FDA listed |
| Actidose 208 mg/mL | Padagis | 120 ml | — | — | FDA listed |
| Actidose Aqua 208 mg/mL | Padagis | 72 ml | — | — | FDA listed |
| Actidose Aqua 208 mg/mL | Padagis | 120 ml | — | — | FDA listed |
Equivalents share the same ingredient, strength, dosage form and route; an AB rating means the FDA considers them substitutable. NADAC is a national retail-pharmacy acquisition benchmark from CMS — not what you pay. Availability is inferred from recent pricing, not a stock check.
Other drugs in the same treatment class
These are different medicines — not other versions of activated charcoal — that fall in the same broad treatment class (antidotes,miscellaneous) . They are not automatic substitutes: they can differ in how they work, dosing, effectiveness, side effects and what they’re approved to treat. Do not switch on your own. This list is for information only — ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether any of them is appropriate for you.
Codes & classification for pharmacists and billers
Where does this data come from?
Other other shortages
Activated charcoal shortage FAQs
Is activated charcoal still in shortage?
Which strengths of activated charcoal are affected?
Which activated charcoal products are affected?
When will activated charcoal be available again?
Can I still get activated charcoal somewhere?
Is the brand or the generic affected?
What should I do if I take activated charcoal?
Still have a question about the activated charcoal shortage?
Ask a pharmacist about this shortage →View Activated Charcoal Oral Suspension on the FDA drug-shortage database →
Where does this data come from?
/drug/shortages) — drug, manufacturer & contact, NDC/product, status, availability, reason, therapeutic category and posting/update dates. Current / To Be Discontinued = active; Resolved is kept for history. The Supply-Risk rating is assessed per active ingredient and adds the FDA NDC Directory (companies listing the same ingredient & form — the "other companies" the rating counts); same-medicine and equivalent products use First Databank classification + CMS NADAC pricing; Medicaid use + most-affected states come from CMS Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data. Reference only — confirm current status with the manufacturer or FDA before acting on it.