Temporary Shortage of Pentobarbital and Pentobarbital Solutions

It has recently come to our attention that there is a temporary shortage of pentobarbital and pentobarbital euthanasia solutions (i.e. Fatal-Plus) in the United States.

We advise anyone using this product or series of products as part of their animal care program to continually evaluate their supplies until the shortage has been further resolved. Note that generic substitutes may also be available.

This information may be especially pertinent to labs conducting surgery or euthanasia with pentobarbital or solutions containing pentobarbital.

If you are concerned about adequate access/supply of appropriate drugs as a result of this shortage, please consider the following resources:

1. Consult with your ULAM Faculty Veterinarian – Questions or concerns about how these or other medication shortages may affect your animal studies should first be discussed with your ULAM Faculty Veterinarian. Our veterinary faculty can work with your lab to explore acceptable alternative medication options and provide veterinary approval for the use of these drugs. If you are unsure about how to get in contact with your facility’s assigned veterinarian, please send an email to the ULAM Business Office at ulam-questions@umich.edu and your question will be routed appropriately.
2. Revisit your animal use protocols – If you believe that your research may be impacted by this drug shortage, please reach out to your Research Compliance Associate in the Animal Care & Use Office for guidance and assistance on submitting a protocol amendment.
3. Monitor the FDA website for the most up-to-date information – To stay apprised of important changes, we recommend that you bookmark and review the FDA’s Current Veterinary Drug Shortages webpage. You can also download the FDA’s Drug Shortages mobile application for iPhone/iOS devices via the iTunes App Store or for Android devices on Google Play, or sign up to receive email updates from the FDA about drug shortages. *Note that both app and email subscription options include all drug shortages reported to the FDA and not just those unique to veterinary medicine.

Questions?

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your ULAM Faculty Veterinarian or Research Compliance Associate with any additional questions or concerns about how your research may be impacted by this temporary drug shortage.

We are here to help you find the most efficient and effective solutions possible.