Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection shortage
Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection is currently listed in shortage by the FDA. The FDA lists 9 affected products. The reported reason: Demand increase for the drug; Delay in shipping of the drug. This page was last refreshed from FDA data on Oct 4, 2026.
The 1 mg/vial and 2 mg/vial sizes of remifentanil hydrochloride injection are currently hard to find, while the 1 mg/mL, 2 mg, and 5 mg sizes still have available supply. Ultiva (remifentanil hydrochloride) 1 mg/mL is listed as available from manufacturers not reporting a 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 Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection. Other makers that haven’t reported a problem are shown in the green card below.
Shortage timeline
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Sep 18, 2026Currently in shortage9 of 9 products affected.
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Sep 17, 2026FDA refreshed this shortage record3 products updated.
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Sep 15, 2026FDA refreshed this shortage record3 products updated.
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Jun 28, 2022First reported to the FDA9 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: Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC 📞 888-386-1300 3 NDCS click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Strength | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Remifentanil Hydrochloride, Injection, 1 mg/1 mL (NDC 63323-725-10) | — | Available | Check wholesalers for inventory | — |
| Current | Remifentanil Hydrochloride, Injection, 1 mg/1 mL (NDC 63323-723-03) | — | Available | Check wholesalers for inventory | — |
| Current | Remifentanil Hydrochloride, Injection, 1 mg/1 mL (NDC 63323-724-05) | — | Unavailable | Next release September 2026. Check wholesalers for inventory. | Delay in shipping of the drug |
Manufacturer: Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. 📞 800-631-2174 3 NDCS click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Strength | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Remifentanil Hydrochloride, Injection, 5 mg per vial (NDC 0143-9393-10) | — | Available | Additional lots will be available. Product will be made available as it is released. | — |
| Current | Remifentanil Hydrochloride, Injection, 2 mg per vial (NDC 0143-9392-10) | — | Unavailable | Estimated recovery: TBD | Demand increase for the drug |
| Current | Remifentanil Hydrochloride, Injection, 1 mg per vial (NDC 0143-9391-10) | — | Unavailable | Estimated recovery: TBD | Demand increase for the drug |
Manufacturer: Mylan Institutional, a Viatris Company 📞 800-796-9526 3 NDCS click to expand
| Status | NDC / product | Strength | Availability | Related information | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Ultiva, Injection, 1 mg/1 mL (NDC 72078-034-01) | — | Available | — | — |
| Current | Ultiva, Injection, 5 mg (NDC 72078-036-05) | — | Available | — | — |
| Current | Ultiva, Injection, 2 mg (NDC 72078-035-02) | — | Available | — | — |
These rows are manufacturer reports to the FDA for Remifentanil 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 Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection? options further down this page.
Why is Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection in shortage?
There are two different reasons behind this shortage, depending on the manufacturer. For Fresenius Kabi, one specific package of their 1 mg/1 mL remifentanil (NDC 63323-724-05) is currently unavailable due to a shipping delay — meaning the product exists but hasn't been able to get out to wholesalers yet. Their next release for that particular package is expected in September 2026. Importantly, Fresenius Kabi does have two other 1 mg/1 mL packages of this medication that are still available right now.
For Hikma Pharmaceuticals, their 1 mg and 2 mg vials are both currently unavailable because more people need this medication than they can keep up with — a demand increase. There's no firm recovery date yet for those two sizes (listed as "to be determined"). However, Hikma's 5 mg vials are still available, and the company says additional lots will be released as they're ready. This report reflects only what these specific manufacturers have shared with the FDA — it doesn't speak to every maker of this drug.
Based on the manufacturer-reported reason(s) and notes on file with the FDA for Remifentanil 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 Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection?
Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection is currently on the FDA shortage list. This is a hospital medicine given by injection, so your care team controls which supply they use.
The strengths that still have an available source are the 1 mg/1 mL, 2 mg, 5 mg, and 5 mg per vial products. The two strengths with no available source right now are the 1 mg per vial and the 2 mg per vial. So most forms of this medicine are still being supplied.
The reported reasons are increased demand and a shipping delay. All three manufacturers on this record are still reporting some available supply, which is reassuring. For the unavailable strengths, recovery dates are listed as to-be-determined; one maker notes a next release around September 2026, and another expects additional lots as they are released.
What you can do:
- Do not skip, stop, or change your dose on your own.
- If your strength still has supply, ask your pharmacy to order it — they can check wholesalers and other manufacturers.
- This same medicine is also available from another maker, so your pharmacy may be able to source one of those, though it may not be in local stock.
- If your exact strength cannot be found, ask your prescriber or pharmacist about options.
Manufacturer contact numbers are listed on this page for reference; pharmacies usually handle those calls.
- 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 Remifentanil 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 Remifentanil 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remifentanil Hydrochloride | REMIFENTANIL HYDROCHLORIDE 1 mg/mL | Injection, Powder, Lyophilized, For Solution · Intravenous | Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC | 63323-0723-06 |
| Ultiva | REMIFENTANIL HYDROCHLORIDE 1 mg/mL | Injection, Powder, Lyophilized, For Solution · Intravenous | Mylan Institutional LLC | 67457-0912-01 |
Therapeutic equivalents & pricing 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remifentanil Hydrochloride 5 mg/5mL | Hikma | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Remifentanil Hydrochloride 1 mg/mL | Fresenius | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Ultiva 1 mg/mL | Mylan | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Ultiva 1 mg/mL | Mylan | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Remifentanil Hydrochloride 1 mg/mL | Hikma | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Ultiva 1 mg/mL | Mylan | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Remifentanil Hydrochloride 1 mg/mL | Fresenius | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Remifentanil Hydrochloride 1 mg/mL | Fresenius | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Ultiva 1 mg/mL | Mylan | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Ultiva 1 mg/mL | Mylan | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Ultiva 1 mg/mL | Mylan | 10 vials | — | AP | FDA listed |
| Remifentanil Hydrochloride 2 mg/2mL | Hikma | 10 vials | — | 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 Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection — that fall in the same broad treatment class (opioid analgesic, anesthetic adjunct agents) . 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
Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection shortage FAQs
Is Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection in shortage?
Why is Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection in shortage?
Which products are affected?
When will Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection be available again?
Can I still get Remifentanil Hydrochloride somewhere?
What should I do if I take Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection?
Still have a question about the Remifentanil Hydrochloride Injection shortage?
Ask a pharmacist about this shortage →View Remifentanil 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.