Reason for the Shortage

• • Guerbet has Lipiodol injection available.[1]
  • Guerbet has transferred the manufacturing of Lipiodol injection to the US. As of March 2019, Lipiodol Ultra-Fluide is no longer being imported.[1]
  • Guerbet had Lipiodol injection in short supply due to manufacturing problems at Jubilant HollisterStier, the manufacturing site in Canada that supplies Lipiodol for Guerbet.[1-2]

Available Products

• • Lipiodol injection, Guerbet, 10 mL vial, NDC 67684-1901-02

• • Ethiodized oil is a lipophilic non-ionic iodinated contrast medium, derived from poppy seed oil.[3] Lipiodol is the only lipophilic non-ionic contrast media approved in the US.[3-4]
  • Ethiodized oil is labeled for use in patients undergoing hysterosalpingography or lymphography and for hepatic intra-arterial use for imaging tumors in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.[3]
  • Ethiodized oil is also commonly used in chemoembolization procedures for the treatment of primary and secondary hepatic malignancies.[5-7]

• 1. Guerbet. Personal communication. June 3, July 13, December 16, 2015; February 17, April 26, June 28, September 20, December 12, 2016; March 13, June 20, October 5 and 10, 2017; January 17, April 11, July 17, October 25, 2018; February 7, May 15, July 17, and September 17, 2019.
  2. Guerbet. Dear Healthcare Professional Letter. June 1, 2015. Available online at http://www.guerbet-us.com/fileadmin/user_upload/usa_home/customer_care_center/documents/June_1__2015_Lipiodol_Guerbet_DHP_Letter.pdf. Accessed June 2, 2015.
  3. Lipiodol (ethiodized oil) injection product information. Bloomington, IN: Guerbet, April 2014.
  4. Swanson D, Maywood C. Miscellaneous radiopaque contrast media. II. Hysterosalpingographic contrast media. In: Swanson D, Chilton H, Thrall J, eds. Pharmaceuticals in Medical Imaging. Radiopaque Contrast Media, Radiopharmaceuticals, Enhancement Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Ultrasound. New York, NY: MacMillan Publishing Co; 1990:227-236.
  5. American College of Radiology. ACR Appropriateness Criteria. Radiologic Management of Hepatic Malignancy, 2011: http://www.acr.org/~/media/ACR/Documents/AppCriteria/Interventional/RadiologicManagementHepaticMalignancy.pdf. Accessed June 2, 2015.
  6. Reidy DL, Schwartz JD. Therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: review of the randomized clinical trials-I: hepatic arterial embolization and embolization-based therapies in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Anticancer Drugs. Jun 2004;15(5):427-437.
  7. Brown DB, Geschwind JF, Soulen MC, Millward SF, Sacks D. Society of Interventional Radiology position statement on chemoembolization of hepatic malignancies. J Vasc Interv Radiol. Feb 2006;17(2 Pt 1):217-223.