Provider Alert! Stimate Nasal Spray National Drug Shortage

Date: January 14, 2021

Attention: All Providers

Subject: Stimate Nasal Spray National Drug Shortage

Effective date: December 16, 2021

Providers should monitor the Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) Provider Portal regularly for alerts and updates associated to the COVID-19 event.  TCHP reserves the right to update and/or change this information without prior notice due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 event.

Call to action: The Texas Health and Human Services Comission (HHSC) was made aware of a voluntary recall issued by Ferring Pharmaceuticals for all batches of their product, Stimate® (desmopressin acetate 1.5mg/ml) nasal spray. The U.S. Federal Drug Administration national drug shortage list currently lists these products, and the manufacturer estimates Stimate® will not become available until the second half of 2023.

How this impacts providers: The Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) formularies include several alternative desmopressin products prescribing providers may consider for use in compounding given the ongoing shortage of Stimate®. The National Drug Codes (NDCs) for Desmopressin are below, and Medicaid-enrolled prescribers may consider these for compounding a nasal spray with a valid prescription.

The only available nasal spray on Medicaid and CHIP formularies is Desmopressin 0.01% Spray (NDC: 62756016191)

Next steps for providers: Prescribers can attempt to find a pharmacy willing to compound but there may be pushback. Prescribers should adjust their prescribing patterns accordingly and communicate these changes to their staff.

For access to all provider alerts, log into:
www.thecheckup.org or www.texaschildrenshealthplan.org/for-providers.

If you have any questions, please email the Pharmacy department at: tchppharmacy@texaschildrens.org.