Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release shortage
Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release is currently listed in shortage by the FDA. The FDA lists 4 affected products. This page was last refreshed from FDA data on Oct 2, 2026.
Actavis Pharma is permanently stopping its guanfacine extended-release tablets — all strengths (1 mg, 2 mg, 3 mg, and 4 mg). Other manufacturers still list all four strengths as available.
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 drug? See the ‘What to do’ recommendation from Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD →What’s in shortage — at a glance
These figures count only the manufacturers that reported this shortage to the FDA — not every company that makes Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release. Other makers that haven’t reported a problem are shown in the green card below.
Shortage timeline
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Nov 13, 2025Currently in shortage4 of 4 products affected.
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Nov 13, 2025First reported to the FDA4 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.
What exactly is on backorder — by manufacturer
Manufacturer: Actavis Pharma, Inc. 📞 800-545-8800 4 NDCS click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Strength | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To Be Discontinued | Guanfacine Hydrochloride, Tablet, Extended Release, 1 mg (NDC 0228-2850-11) | — | — | A business decision was made to discontinue manufacture of the drug. | — |
| To Be Discontinued | Guanfacine Hydrochloride, Tablet, Extended Release, 3 mg (NDC 0228-2853-11) | — | — | A business decision was made to discontinue manufacture of the drug. | — |
| To Be Discontinued | Guanfacine Hydrochloride, Tablet, Extended Release, 2 mg (NDC 0228-2851-11) | — | — | A business decision was made to discontinue manufacture of the drug. | — |
| To Be Discontinued | Guanfacine Hydrochloride, Tablet, Extended Release, 4 mg (NDC 0228-2855-11) | — | — | A business decision was made to discontinue manufacture of the drug. | — |
These rows are manufacturer reports to the FDA for Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release — they do not necessarily cover every manufacturer that makes this drug. A company appears here only if it told the FDA it has a supply problem, so other makers may still have stock. That’s the basis for the Where else can I get Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release? options further down this page.
Why is Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release in shortage?
Actavis Pharma has made a business decision to permanently stop making their versions of guanfacine hydrochloride extended-release tablets. This affects all four strengths they produced — the 1 mg, 2 mg, 3 mg, and 4 mg tablets. They didn't share a specific public reason beyond it being a business decision on their part.
It's worth knowing that this report only covers Actavis Pharma's products. Other manufacturers of guanfacine extended-release tablets are listed separately on this page and may not be affected by this same decision.
Based on the manufacturer-reported reason(s) and notes on file with the FDA for Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release, summarized in plain English by HelloPharmacist. A drug can be short for more than one reason, and the FDA updates these as manufacturers report changes.
What should I do if I take Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release?
Guanfacine Hydrochloride Extended-Release Tablets are currently on the FDA shortage list. If you or someone you care for takes this medicine, please read on so you know what to expect and what steps to take next.
All four strengths — 1 mg, 2 mg, 3 mg, and 4 mg — are affected, and none of them have an available source from the manufacturer on this record (Actavis Pharma). The reported reason is a business decision to discontinue making the drug. Because this is a discontinuation rather than a temporary delay, this particular supply problem may be permanent, and a conversation with your prescriber is the right next step.
It is important to know that this report reflects only one manufacturer. The same medicine may still be available from other makers.
- Do not stop, skip, or change your doses on your own — keep taking it as prescribed while you sort out supply.
- Ask your pharmacy to check whether the same medicine is available from another maker. Our records list extended-release guanfacine from NorthStar Rx, Upsher-Smith, and Unichem — though these may not be in local stock.
- If your exact product cannot be found, ask your prescriber or pharmacist about options, such as a clinician-chosen alternative.
- Manufacturer contact numbers are listed on this page for reference; your pharmacy usually handles those calls.
This is general, national information and may not match your local pharmacy's actual stock.
- Don’t stop or change the medication on your own — talk to your prescriber first.
- If this is part of an ongoing or essential regimen (for example HIV treatment or prevention, seizure, heart, transplant, diabetes or mental-health medicines), do not skip or ration doses — contact your pharmacist or prescriber right away to arrange continued supply before you run out.
- Ask your pharmacy to check other manufacturers, strengths, package sizes, and nearby stores.
- Ask your prescriber whether a different strength, formulation, or the brand/generic version is appropriate.
Uses, dosing, side effects, prices, and the complete FDA label — written in plain English and pharmacist-reviewed.
Where else can I get Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release?
FDA shortages are manufacturer-reported — a company only shows up on the shortage list if it told the FDA it has a supply problem, so not every maker of Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release is necessarily short. Below we pull together the other still-marketed options that are not reported in shortage: the same medicine from manufacturers that haven’t reported a problem, and alternative dosage forms. 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, other manufacturers (not reported short)
Same active ingredient, dosage form & route as the shortage (matched on the FDB HICL ingredient code), from makers that have not filed a shortage with the FDA:
| Product | Strength | Form / route | Manufacturer | NDC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guanfacine | GUANFACINE HYDROCHLORIDE 1 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | NORTHSTAR RXLLC | 16714-0190-01 |
| Guanfacine | GUANFACINE HYDROCHLORIDE 2 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | NORTHSTAR RXLLC | 16714-0191-01 |
| Guanfacine | GUANFACINE HYDROCHLORIDE 3 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | NORTHSTAR RXLLC | 16714-0192-01 |
| Guanfacine | GUANFACINE HYDROCHLORIDE 4 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | NORTHSTAR RXLLC | 16714-0193-01 |
| Guanfacine Extended-Release | GUANFACINE 1 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC | 24979-0533-00 |
| Guanfacine Extended-Release | GUANFACINE 2 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC | 24979-0534-00 |
| Guanfacine Extended-Release | GUANFACINE 3 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC | 24979-0536-00 |
| Guanfacine Extended-Release | GUANFACINE 4 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC | 24979-0538-00 |
| Guanfacine | GUANFACINE HYDROCHLORIDE 1 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc. | 29300-0460-01 |
| Guanfacine | GUANFACINE HYDROCHLORIDE 2 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc. | 29300-0461-01 |
| Guanfacine | GUANFACINE HYDROCHLORIDE 3 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc. | 29300-0462-01 |
| Guanfacine | GUANFACINE HYDROCHLORIDE 4 mg/1 | Tablet, Extended Release · Oral | Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc. | 29300-0463-01 |
Therapeutic equivalents & pricing 30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guanfacine 1 mg | Sun | 100 tablets | $0.132 | — | Discontinued |
| guanfacine 1 mg | Actavis | 100 tablets | $0.133 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine Extended-Release 1 mg | Upsher-Smith | 100 tablets | $0.133 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 1 mg | Unichem | 100 tablets | $0.133 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine extended-release 1 mg | Apotex | 100 tablets | $0.133 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 1 mg | Alembic | 100 tablets | $0.133 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 1 mg | Slate | 100 tablets | $0.133 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 1 mg | Fosun | 100 tablets | $0.133 | AB | Availability likely |
| guanfacine 2 mg | Actavis | 100 tablets | $0.148 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine Extended-Release 2 mg | Upsher-Smith | 100 tablets | $0.148 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 2 mg | Unichem | 100 tablets | $0.148 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine extended-release 2 mg | Apotex | 100 tablets | $0.148 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 2 mg | Alembic | 100 tablets | $0.148 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 2 mg | Slate | 100 tablets | $0.148 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 2 mg | Fosun | 100 tablets | $0.148 | AB | Availability likely |
| guanfacine 3 mg | Actavis | 100 tablets | $0.166 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine Extended-Release 3 mg | Upsher-Smith | 100 tablets | $0.166 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 3 mg | Unichem | 100 tablets | $0.166 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine extended-release 3 mg | Apotex | 100 tablets | $0.166 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 3 mg | Alembic | 100 tablets | $0.166 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 3 mg | Slate | 100 tablets | $0.166 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 3 mg | Fosun | 100 tablets | $0.166 | AB | Availability likely |
| Guanfacine 3 mg | Sun | 100 tablets | $0.192 | — | FDA listed |
| Guanfacine 2 mg | Sun | 100 tablets | $0.206 | — | FDA listed |
| Guanfacine 2 mg | NORTHSTAR | 100 tablets | $0.222 | — | FDA listed |
| Guanfacine 3 mg | NORTHSTAR | 100 tablets | $0.226 | — | FDA listed |
| Guanfacine 1 mg | NORTHSTAR | 100 tablets | $0.228 | — | FDA listed |
| Intuniv 2 mg | Takeda | 100 tablets | $9.262 | AB | Availability likely |
| Intuniv 3 mg | Takeda | 100 tablets | $9.292 | AB | Availability likely |
| Intuniv 1 mg | Takeda | 100 tablets | $9.386 | AB | Availability likely |
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 Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release — that fall in the same broad treatment class (tx for adhd - selective alpha-2 receptor agonist) . 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.
Identity & classification
Where does this data come from?
Other psychiatry shortages
Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release shortage FAQs
Is Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release in shortage?
Which products are affected?
When will Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release be available again?
Can I still get Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release somewhere?
What should I do if I take Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release?
Still have a question about the Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extended Release shortage?
Ask a pharmacist about this shortage →View Guanfacine Hydrochloride Tablet, Extende... 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 (still-marketed manufacturers by ingredient & form); 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.