Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection shortage
Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection is currently listed in shortage by the FDA. The FDA lists 6 affected products. This page was last refreshed from FDA data on Sep 29, 2026.
Meperidine hydrochloride injection is currently in shortage, though all strengths — 25 mg/mL, 50 mg/mL, and 100 mg/mL — still have at least some supply available. Demerol (meperidine hydrochloride) 75 mg/mL injection is also listed by Hospira without a reported shortage.
Don’t stop or change your therapy on your own — ask your pharmacist about other manufacturers (see options) and your prescriber about a long-term plan.
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 Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection. Other makers that haven’t reported a problem are shown in the green card below.
Shortage timeline
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Sep 22, 2026Currently in shortage6 of 6 products affected.
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Sep 18, 2026FDA refreshed this shortage record3 products updated.
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May 30, 2025First reported to the FDA6 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: Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. 📞 800-631-2174 3 NDCS click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Strength | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Meperidine Hydrochloride, Injection, 25 mg/1 mL (NDC 0641-6052-25) | — | Available | Additional lots are scheduled to be manufactured. Product will be made available as it is released. | — |
| Current | Meperidine Hydrochloride, Injection, 100 mg/1 mL (NDC 0641-6054-25) | — | Available | Additional lots are scheduled to be manufactured. Product will be made available as it is released. | — |
| Current | Meperidine Hydrochloride, Injection, 50 mg/1 mL (NDC 0641-6053-25) | — | Available | Additional lots are scheduled to be manufactured. Product will be made available as it is released. | — |
Manufacturer: Hospira, Inc., a Pfizer Company 📞 844-646-4398 3 NDCS click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Strength | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Demerol, Injection, 50 mg/1 mL (NDC 0409-1181-30) | — | Available | — | — |
| Current | Demerol, Injection, 50 mg/1 mL (NDC 0409-1178-30) | — | Available | — | — |
| Current | Demerol, Injection, 25 mg/1 mL (NDC 0409-1176-30) | — | Available | — | — |
These rows are manufacturer reports to the FDA for Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection — 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 Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection? options further down this page.
Why is Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection in shortage?
Meperidine hydrochloride injection is currently on the FDA shortage list, though the FDA did not share a specific public reason for why the shortage exists. What we do know from the manufacturers is that products from both Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Hospira (a Pfizer company) are listed as available right now.
For Hikma's products specifically — the 25 mg/mL, 50 mg/mL, and 100 mg/mL strengths — the company has noted that additional batches are scheduled to be made at the factory, and those will be released as they're ready. Hospira's Demerol brand in the 25 mg/mL and 50 mg/mL strengths is also currently shown as available. So while there is an active shortage on record, both of these manufacturers are reporting their products as on hand, with more on the way from Hikma.
Based on the manufacturer-reported reason(s) and notes on file with the FDA for Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection, 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 Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection?
Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection is currently on the FDA shortage list, but supply overall remains fairly steady.
All three strengths — 25 mg/mL, 50 mg/mL, and 100 mg/mL — still have an available source. None of these strengths are without supply right now. That means the strength you take should still be obtainable, even though this shortage has been ongoing for over a year.
The reported reason is manufacturing timing: additional lots are scheduled to be made, and product is being released as it becomes ready. Both manufacturers on this record — Hikma and Hospira (Pfizer) — are still reporting available supply, which helps keep the shortage manageable.
Here is what I suggest:
- Do not stop, skip, or change your dose on your own.
- Since your strength still has supply, ask your pharmacy to order it — pharmacies can check wholesalers and both manufacturers.
- The same medicine (Demerol) is also made by Hospira, so your pharmacy may be able to source it from another maker, though it may not be in local stock right away.
- If your exact strength cannot be found, ask your prescriber or pharmacist about options, such as a different strength to reach your dose.
Manufacturer contact numbers are listed on this page for reference; pharmacies usually handle these calls. This is national, manufacturer-reported 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.
- This is a controlled substance. Transfers between pharmacies and switching strengths have extra federal/state rules — ask the pharmacy before you assume a transfer is possible.
Uses, dosing, side effects, prices, and the complete FDA label — written in plain English and pharmacist-reviewed.
Where else can I get Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection?
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 Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demerol | MEPERIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE 75 mg/mL | Injection, Solution · Intramuscular, Intravenous, Subcutaneous | Hospira, Inc. | 00409-1179-30 |
Alternative dosage forms of Meperidine Hydrochloride
A different form of the same drug (for example a solution when capsules are short). A form change is a clinical decision — ask your prescriber:
Therapeutic equivalents & pricing 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meperidine Hydrochloride 25 mg/mL | Hikma | 25 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Demerol 25 mg/mL | Hospira, | 10 cartridges | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Meperidine Hydrochloride 100 mg/mL | Hikma | 25 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Meperidine Hydrochloride 50 mg/mL | Hikma | 25 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Demerol 50 mg/mL | Hospira, | 10 cartridges | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Demerol 50 mg/mL | Hospira, | 1 vial | — | AP | 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 Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection — that fall in the same broad treatment class (opioid analgesics) . 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 analgesia/addiction shortages
Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection shortage FAQs
Is Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection in shortage?
Which products are affected?
When will Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection be available again?
Can I still get Meperidine Hydrochloride somewhere?
What should I do if I take Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection?
Still have a question about the Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection shortage?
Ask a pharmacist about this shortage →View Meperidine Hydrochloride Injection 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.