FDA & CMS data Plain-English Official source

Medication info that actually makes sense

According to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) records (), official drug labels and NADAC pricing are translated into plain English.

Search 682+ medications for plain-English FDA labels, side effects, drug interactions, prices, recalls and shortages, drawn from official U.S. Food and Drug Administration and CMS data, all in words you can understand.

Browse all drugs Check interactions
About this data Methodology My saved medications

The picture in the data

Across the medications we track, switching to a generic cuts the average price by 85%, yet 35 are in an active FDA shortage right now.

682+
FDA-approved drugs tracked
85% less
avg generic vs brand price (147 drugs)
35
drugs in an active shortage
103
Class I recalls (most serious)

Compiled by the PlainMeds. Every figure is drawn directly from FDA labeling, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing, and the FDA drug shortage and recall databases, and is dated on each page.

Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.

Medication Safety at a Glance

Medications

682

FDA-approved drugs tracked

Categories

22

Therapeutic categories

Interactions

3,919

Known drug-drug pairs

Recalls

1179

FDA recall alerts

Top drug categories by medication count

Value

What this shows Mental Health is the largest therapeutic category in the catalogue, with 77 tracked medications.

Source PlainMeds drug catalogue (FDA data)

How much do generics save?

Generic-vs-brand price gap across drugs priced both ways

0%–20%: 2 priced drugs (1%). Below this entry. 20%–40%: 4 priced drugs (3%). Below this entry. 40%–60%: 12 priced drugs (8%). Below this entry. 60%–80%: 24 priced drugs (16%). Below this entry. 80%–100%: 105 priced drugs (71%). This entry sits in this band. Median drug 0% 100% 147 priced drugs, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more priced drugs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC)

Popular Medications

adalimumab

TNF-Alpha Inhibitor (Biologic)

Brands: Humira

View details →

etanercept

TNF-Alpha Inhibitor (Biologic)

Brands: Enbrel

View details →

aspirin

Antiplatelet / NSAID

Brands: Bayer, Ecotrin

View details →

prednisone

Corticosteroid

Brands: Deltasone, Rayos

View details →

acetaminophen

Analgesic / Antipyretic

Brands: Tylenol

View details →

dupilumab

Anti-IL-4/IL-13 Monoclonal Antibody

Brands: Dupixent

View details →

methotrexate

Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD)

Brands: Trexall, Otrexup

View details →

furosemide

Loop Diuretic

Brands: Lasix

View details →

Browse by Category

Acid Reflux & Stomach

38

Allergies

19

Antibiotics

56

Blood Pressure

54

Blood Thinners

16

Cholesterol

22

Diabetes

43

Eye Care

21

Heart

31

Hormones

34

Infections

41

Mental Health

77

Muscle Relaxants

10

Osteoporosis

9

Pain Relief

55

Respiratory

36

Seizures & Nerve Pain

23

Skin

41

Sleep

10

Thyroid

5

Urinary

18

Vitamins & Supplements

23

Recent Recalls

Class II June 4, 2026

CGMP Deviations: Presence of N-nitroso-duloxetine impurity above FDA recommended interim limit

Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc. duloxetine →
Class II June 4, 2026

CGMP Deviations: Presence of N-nitroso-duloxetine impurity above FDA recommended interim limit

Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc. duloxetine →
Class III June 3, 2026

Cross Contamination with Other Products: due to a potential for cross-contamination with Acemetacin API due to an issue at the API manufacturer.

Amneal Pharmaceuticals, LLC primidone →
View All Recalls →

Medication Guides

Understanding Drug Interactions

Dangerous combinations, common risks, and how to protect yourself.

How Drug Interactions Work

Pharmacokinetic vs pharmacodynamic mechanisms and the CYP450 enzyme system.

Generic vs Brand Name Drugs

FDA bioequivalence rules, real cost savings, and when the difference matters.

FDA Drug Recalls Explained

Class II leads Enforcement Report counts; Class I is the seriousness board, not the rarest class.

Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs

FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines.

Pain Relievers Compared

NSAIDs vs acetaminophen, which OTC pain reliever to use, and the safety limits.

All medication guides → Drug rankings → Research & analysis → Drug safety statistics →

Why PlainMeds?

PlainMeds takes official FDA drug label data and translates it into language anyone can understand. No medical jargon, no paywalls, just clear facts about your medications, including side effects, interactions, and safety warnings.

This site is a source-record registry. PlainMeds does not provide professional medical advice, treatment, dosing, substitution, or medication-change directions.

Data sourced from FDA Drug Labels (SPL) and FAERS adverse event reports.

About this data

How PlainMeds turns federal records into a usable drug reference

What this site is

PlainMeds is a source-record registry for FDA and CMS drug data. It helps readers locate and compare documented labels, reports, recalls, shortages, and acquisition-cost records; it does not recommend starting, stopping, or changing a medication.

How we publish

  1. Collect We ingest published FDA and CMS records, retain the source context, and show when a field is missing rather than estimating it.
  2. Connect We join records only where their identifiers support the match, then label report counts and shortage status as source records rather than clinical conclusions.
  3. Publish Each profile links back to its sources and methodology so readers can check the record in context.

Corrections & independence

We do not accept paid placement or manufacturer influence. If a figure appears wrong, report the page and field; we compare it with the official record and log a correction when the source supports one. See the published change log for material updates.

Frequently asked

Where does PlainMeds get its drug information?

All drug data comes from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug database, including approved medications, their labels, active ingredients, and safety information.

Does PlainMeds provide medical advice?

No. PlainMeds is a source-record registry for FDA and CMS data. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or medication-change directions.

Is PlainMeds free?

Yes, PlainMeds is completely free. You can search drugs, check interactions, and find alternatives without any account or subscription.

What are the drug interaction pages?

Our interaction checker shows known drug-drug interactions from FDA data. We cover 3,919 interaction pairs, showing severity levels and clinical significance to help patients have informed discussions with their healthcare providers.