Niner

Does anyone happen to know if a kind soul has come across Niner tablets in any pharmacy around Washington, D.C.? They’re from Johnson & Johnson—but I’ve checked about ten different locations today only to be told they haven't been in stock for two months, and apparently, there isn't even a substitute available!

Betty Cox30 said:Does anyone know if any pharmacy in the Washington, D.C. area actually has Niner tablets in stock? They’re made by Johnson & Johnson, but I’ve checked about ten different locations today and they all told me they haven't had them for two months—and apparently, there isn't a direct substitute!

It’s been out of stock for months now; word is they’re running low on the raw ingredients needed for production. My mom takes it as a preventative measure, and we finally managed to track some down at a clinic pharmacy over in Brooklyn. They were smart enough to stock up ahead of time. If they happen to be sold out, there's an alternative available at the center pharmacy in syrup form, but you can't get it with a prescription and it'll run you about $20. The only real surrogate I'm aware of is Nolick, which serves the same purpose as Niner, though it's nowhere near as effective.

Betty Cox30 said:Does anyone know if any pharmacy in the Washington, D.C. area still has Niner tablets in stock? They’re made by Johnson & Johnson, but I’ve hit about ten different pharmacies today and they all told me they haven't seen them in two months. Apparently, there isn't even a direct substitute!

There's a 99% chance you won't find them anywhere because of a supply shortage. Your only shot is if you get incredibly lucky and stumble upon some leftover stock, but don't hold your breath.
There is an alternative from a foreign manufacturer—it's called nitrofurantoin—but it's a bit pricier than Niner and you can't get it via Medicare. You'll probably pay around $23 for 20 tablets. You might have better luck checking pharmacies that specialize in imported meds (the kind not covered by standard insurance lists). For instance, maybe that shop downtown near the plaza, or the one over in the suburbs, or even the CVS across from the parking lot in the residential district. Honestly, just call ahead before you waste the gas. That one in the residential district is usually the 24-hour spot.

Yes, nitrofurantoin is the generic name... I’ll give it a shot—money isn't really the issue here.

Angela Wright, I'm looking for my mother as well. Norfloxacin is an antimicrobial—part of the fluoroquinolone group. I know it's used to prevent recurring urinary tract infections, but Mom’s doctor suggests saving it for more severe cases since it's quite potent; he thinks nitrofurantoin would be the better choice as a urinary antiseptic. Still, if I can't track that down, Norfloxacin is an option.

According to the Medicare formulary, Niner costs $9.00, while Norfloxacin is $23 (with Medicare covering half and the patient picking up the rest). It defies logic to subsidize a pricier drug instead of just importing a cheaper alternative, especially if Johnson & Johnson can't supply the preferred one. But then again, searching for logic in our healthcare system is a lost cause...

I appreciate everyone's help... I'll try those locations you mentioned!

On this side, you'll find the brand name nitrofurantoin (which is identical to the generic version).

Angela Wright said:It’s been out of stock for a few months—apparently, they ran out of raw materials for production. My mother takes it as a preventative measure, and we actually managed to track it down at a local pharmacy in Brooklyn. They seem to have stocked up just in time.

Found it in Brooklyn. Thanks for the heads-up.😘

Betty Cox30 said:Got it over in Brooklyn. Thanks for the heads-up.😘

👍

Nitrofurantoin syrup hasn't been on the shelves for a while now, and honestly, it doesn't look like it’s coming back. It used to be imported from Italy, but their plant shut down production, and it's looking pretty permanent. Back when you could actually find it, you could pick it up at the pharmacy downtown or over in Sioux Falls.