Bentyl was not discontinued for safety reasons. The FDA has formally confirmed, on more than one occasion, that specific Bentyl formulations were removed from the market for commercial reasons, not because of any safety or effectiveness concerns. The active ingredient, dicyclomine, remains widely available through dozens of generic manufacturers.
What Actually Happened to Bentyl
Bentyl has been removed from the market in stages, with different formulations disappearing at different times. In 2016, the FDA noted that Bentyl syrup (the liquid oral form) was no longer being marketed. Then in late 2024, the FDA confirmed that Bentyl Preservative Free injectable solution, manufactured by AbbVie, was also no longer on the market.
In both cases, the FDA conducted a formal review and issued a determination through the Federal Register stating the products “were not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness.” This distinction matters because when a drug is pulled for safety concerns, the FDA blocks generic versions from gaining approval. By confirming Bentyl’s removal was commercial, the FDA kept the door open for generic manufacturers to continue selling dicyclomine.
Why Brand Names Disappear
When a brand-name drug loses patent protection and multiple generic versions flood the market, the original manufacturer often stops producing the branded version. Generics are cheaper to produce and sell at lower prices, which drives down the brand’s market share until it’s no longer profitable to keep making it. This is one of the most common reasons brand-name drugs vanish from pharmacy shelves, and it’s almost certainly what happened with Bentyl. The medication itself didn’t go away. The brand did.
Dicyclomine Is Still Widely Available
The DailyMed database, maintained by the National Library of Medicine, lists over 160 results for dicyclomine hydrochloride products. More than a dozen companies currently package and distribute it, including Aurobindo Pharma, Hikma Pharmaceuticals, Camber Pharmaceuticals, Actavis Pharma, and Upsher-Smith Laboratories, among others. If your pharmacy tells you they can’t fill your prescription, it’s worth asking whether they can order from a different supplier or switch to another manufacturer’s version.
That said, dicyclomine has experienced supply disruptions. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has tracked shortages of both oral and injectable forms, with the oral shortage first noted in January 2019 and still being monitored as recently as 2026. These periodic shortages can make it feel like the drug has been discontinued when it’s really a temporary supply chain issue.
What Dicyclomine Does
Dicyclomine is an antispasmodic, meaning it reduces cramping and spasms in the digestive tract. It works by blocking a chemical messenger that triggers smooth muscle contractions in the gut. It’s primarily prescribed for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), particularly when abdominal cramping and pain are the dominant symptoms.
Other Options If You Can’t Get It
If you’re having trouble filling a dicyclomine prescription due to a shortage or availability issue, several other antispasmodic medications work through similar or related mechanisms. These fall into a few categories: drugs that block the same chemical signals as dicyclomine (like hyoscyamine and hyoscine), calcium channel blockers that target gut muscle directly (like pinaverium), and direct smooth muscle relaxants. Your prescriber can determine which alternative fits your symptoms best.
Beyond antispasmodics, treatments for chronic abdominal pain have expanded to include medications that target the nervous system’s role in gut pain, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy, which has shown effectiveness for IBS symptoms. These aren’t replacements for dicyclomine so much as additional tools, especially for people whose pain doesn’t fully respond to antispasmodics alone.