Sanofi's Lantus Solostar Pen Runs Low as FDA Holds Off on Shortage
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- Sanofi confirmed to STAT that its Lantus Solostar pen (3 mL, insulin glargine) has been running low for several weeks, attributing the strain to increased demand "driven by broader market dynamics."
- The FDA has not technically classified the situation as a shortage, even though patients report difficulty filling prescriptions.
- Patients using Lantus Solostar have had to act as "pharmacy scouts," calling multiple locations to track down the medication.
- Sanofi called the situation "temporary" and said it anticipates supply will improve "over the coming weeks."
- The Lantus Solostar is a popular long-acting insulin pen used by people with diabetes.
Why it matters: Millions of Americans depend on long-acting insulin; even a soft, undeclared shortage forces vulnerable patients to hunt from pharmacy to pharmacy for a medication they cannot skip. Sanofi's framing of the gap as "temporary" offers no firm date, leaving patients to self-monitor an opaque supply chain.
