Estradiol patches are hard to find in many pharmacies, but the shortage hits specific makers and strengths, so the right questions may turn up the same dose somewhere else.
The short answer: demand for estradiol patches has outrun supply since the FDA moved to remove boxed warnings from menopause hormone therapy in November 2025. The shortage is uneven. In the latest bulletin from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), every patch strength had at least one package listed as available. Ask your pharmacist about the same strength and schedule from another manufacturer, try other pharmacies, and talk with your prescriber before you stop or change anything.
Why patches are hard to fill
TODAY reported on October 18, 2026 that many women still cannot fill their patch prescriptions, citing a May survey by Midi Health that found almost half of women with estrogen patch prescriptions had trouble filling them.
Demand rose fast. San Mateo County Supervisor Jackie Speier, in an October 14 letter urging Congress to press the FDA, cited HealthVerity data showing prescriptions up more than 160% over two years, and Epic Research reporting that use tripled from 2017 to 2026.
The two shortage lists disagree:
- The FDA has not declared a shortage. Estradiol patches did not appear in its drug shortage database when we checked on October 18, 2026. In a September 3 update, the agency said it is "working with all six manufacturers to increase supply," that supply "has nearly doubled" over the last year, and that availability of certain products varies by pharmacy and location.
- ASHP has listed estradiol patches as a current shortage since January 30, 2026, product by product.
What ASHP's bulletin shows, strength by strength
We tallied every package (NDC) in ASHP's bulletin, last updated August 12, 2026. The bulletin lists once-weekly patches in boxes of 4 and twice-weekly patches in boxes of 8; we confirmed each product's schedule against its FDA labeling.
| Strength (mg/24 hr) | Once-weekly: short | Once-weekly: listed available | Twice-weekly: short | Twice-weekly: listed available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.025 | Sandoz | Climara (Bayer), Viatris | Noven | Dotti, Lyllana (Amneal), Viatris |
| 0.0375 | Sandoz | Climara, Viatris | Dotti, Noven | Lyllana, Viatris |
| 0.05 | Sandoz | Climara, Viatris | Noven, Viatris (one package), Zydus | Dotti, Lyllana, Viatris |
| 0.06 | Sandoz | Climara, Viatris | None listed | None listed |
| 0.075 | Sandoz | Climara, Viatris | Noven, Zydus | Dotti, Lyllana, Viatris |
| 0.1 | Sandoz | Climara, Viatris | Dotti, Noven, Zydus | Lyllana, Viatris |
The totals: 17 packages short from five companies, and 29 listed as available from three (Bayer, Viatris, and Amneal). That is 37.0% of the 46 packages the bulletin names. ASHP says Noven's patches are on intermittent back order with weekly releases and Zydus's are on allocation.
Two cautions. "Listed available" is the bulletin's status for the manufacturer, not stock on your pharmacy's shelf today. And the bulletin is two months old, so supply may have moved since.
What to ask your pharmacist
- "Do you have my strength and schedule from a different manufacturer?" The FDA says a pharmacist may be able to find another FDA-approved estradiol patch to substitute, when appropriate. The table above shows where to start.
- "When is your next shipment?" TODAY suggests calling to ask what is in stock and when it will be restocked.
- "Can another location fill it?" TODAY suggests checking other stores in a chain, small local pharmacies, and mail order.
- Do not cut a patch to make a dose. ASHP's bulletin says reservoir patches should never be cut, and cutting a matrix patch may release the dose unevenly.
What to ask your prescriber
- Before you stop or change anything, call. The FDA advises patients not to stop or change their medication without talking to their healthcare provider.
- "Could I switch between twice-weekly and once-weekly?" TODAY reports that, depending on availability, some patients may need to switch schedules.
- "If no patch is available, what about a gel?" TODAY reports a doctor may switch a patient to an estradiol gel, which is also applied to the skin but is less convenient.
- Ask before any switch to pills. Dr. Candice Fraser, an OB-GYN at the Carolyn Rowan Center for Women's Health and Wellness at Mount Sinai, told TODAY that patches bypass the liver and carry a lower risk of blood clots than estrogen pills.
Report it
TODAY quotes menopause advocate Tamsen Fadal recommending that patients report fill problems to the FDA. The FDA's drug shortages page directs the public to check its database first, then report a shortage not listed there through its public portal.
Where Temi fits
Temi cannot make patches appear. If you already take an estradiol patch and need a new prescription, a licensed physician can review your renewal request within 48 hours, often sooner. The review costs $15 per medication, shown before you pay, or $0 with Temi Care. If approved, the prescription goes to the pharmacy you choose, including one you found with stock, and you pay that pharmacy for the medication, with insurance or a discount card if you have one. Temi's Care Team calls pharmacies to help find your patch, and if a different strength or schedule would be easier to fill, can ask the physician whether a change makes sense for you. Temi serves patients located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. Start a refill.
Sources
- Caroline Kee, "Many Women Are Still Struggling to Fill Estrogen Patch Prescriptions. What to Do If You Can't Get Yours," TODAY, October 18, 2026. https://www.today.com/health/womens-health/estrogen-patch-shortage-expert-advice-fda-rcna602985 (checked 2026-10-18)
- San Mateo County District 1, "Supervisor Speier Urges Members of Congress to Demand FDA Declare Official Estrogen Patch Shortage," October 14, 2026. https://www.smcgov.org/district-1/news/supervisor-speier-urges-members-congress-demand-fda-declare-official-estrogen-patch (checked 2026-10-18)
- ASHP, "Drug Shortage Detail: Estradiol Transdermal System," created January 30, 2026, updated August 12, 2026. https://www.ashp.org/drug-shortages/current-shortages/Drug-Shortage-Detail.aspx?id=1206 (checked 2026-10-18)
- FDA, "FDA Update on Estradiol Transdermal Patch Availability," September 3, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-alerts-and-statements/fda-update-estradiol-transdermal-patch-availability (checked 2026-10-18)
- FDA Drug Shortages database. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/default.cfm (checked 2026-10-18; no estradiol entry)
- FDA, "Drug Shortages" (how to report). https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/drug-shortages (checked 2026-10-18)
- openFDA drug labeling, dosing schedules for estradiol transdermal products from Bayer (Climara), Sandoz, Mylan (Viatris), Noven, Zydus, and Amneal (Dotti, Lyllana). https://api.fda.gov/drug/label.json (checked 2026-10-18)
- Temi refill service page. https://usetemi.com/prescription/refills (checked 2026-10-18)
