Prescription medicine
Ampicillin First approved as Penbritin-S
Ampicillin (Penbritin-S) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1966. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 17 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $0.441 per ampicillin 500 mg capsule in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
- A presentation discontinued
Check it at the source: the ampicillin FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 21, 2025, Sandoz Inc); the NDA 50072 record on Drugs@FDA; every ampicillin label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of February 21, 2025; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageAmpicillin for injection is indicated in the treatment of infections caused by susceptible strains of the designated organisms in the following conditions: Respiratory Tract Infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Forms and strengths
- 1 g
- 2 g
- 10 g
- 125 mg
- 250 mg
- 500 mg
- 1 g/g
- 2 g/2g
- 10 g/100ml
Injection (powder) for solution; capsule; powder for solution.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 29, 1966 Penbritin-S, Wyeth Ayerst; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 23 first March 3, 1971; 14 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 17 of which 17 under generic applications, 0 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $0.441 per capsule Ampicillin 500 mg capsule
- Shortage (FDA)
- None current 5 past records
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- 3 since 2015 0 Class I among all firms' recalls; latest April 13, 2022; 11 more by firms not listed as its makers
- FAERS reports
- 8,240 through July 30, 2026
What is ampicillin used for?
From the label: indications and usageAmpicillin for injection is indicated in the treatment of infections caused by susceptible strains of the designated organisms in the following conditions: Respiratory Tract Infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Staphylococcus aureus (penicillinase and nonpenicillinase-producing), H. influenzae, and Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci. Bacterial Meningitis caused by E. coli, Group B Streptococci, and other Gram-negative bacteria ( Listeria monocytogenes, N. meningitidis ). The addition of an aminoglycoside with ampicillin may increase its effectiveness against Gram-negative bacteria. […]
Conditions named in the indications of ampicillin's FDA labels, with every medicine labeled for each:
From other ampicillin labelsBacterial infections: INDICATIONS AND USAGE Ampicillin for injection is indicated in the treatment of infections caused by susceptible strains of the designated organisms in the following conditions:
Urinary tract infections: Urinary Tract Infections caused by sensitive strains of E. coli and Proteus mirabilis.
FDA pharmacologic class: Penicillin-class Antibacterial.
Source: FDA drug label (Ampicillin), Sandoz Inc, effective February 21, 2025 (SPL set 64a04e8c-8f78-46b3-8f45-56ef225a4f74), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for ampicillin (Penbritin-S)?
The FDA approved the first generic ampicillin on March 3, 1971. 23 generic applications are approved; 14 of them carry a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale.
FDA's NDC Directory lists ampicillin from 17 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
- 1966 earliest approval on file
- 1971 first generic approved
- red ticks recalls
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for ampicillin (Penbritin-S)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.441 per Ampicillin 500 mg capsule, down 8% from $0.477 on October 8, 2025. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.
- Ampicillin 500 mg capsule (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ampicillin 500 mg capsule | Generic | $0.441 per capsule | $13.23 | -8% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
Is ampicillin in shortage?
No ampicillin presentation is listed as in shortage in the FDA Drug Shortage Database (read October 8, 2026); its 5 records are all marked to be discontinued, the latest updated December 8, 2025. ASHP keeps a separate shortage list, which can differ.
| Presentation | Company | Status | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ampicillin Sodium, Injection, 1 g (NDC 0781-9404-95) | Sandoz Inc. | To Be Discontinued | December 8, 2025 |
| Ampicillin Sodium, Injection, 1 g (NDC 0781-9412-92) | Sandoz Inc. | To Be Discontinued | December 8, 2025 |
| Ampicillin Sodium, Injection, 10 g (NDC 0781-9409-95) | Sandoz Inc. | To Be Discontinued | December 8, 2025 |
| Ampicillin Sodium, Injection, 2 g (NDC 0781-9408-95) | Sandoz Inc. | To Be Discontinued | December 8, 2025 |
| Ampicillin Sodium, Injection, 2 g (NDC 0781-9413-92) | Sandoz Inc. | To Be Discontinued | December 8, 2025 |
Source: FDA Drug Shortage Database via openFDA, updated October 8, 2026
Has ampicillin been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 14 recalls naming ampicillin since 2015: 0 Class I (the most serious), 12 Class II, 2 Class III; 0 still ongoing. 11 of them are by firms that FDA's NDC Directory does not list as a maker of ampicillin and that hold no application for it in Drugs@FDA, such as compounding pharmacies or bulk-ingredient suppliers; the recall notice names the product recalled. A recall names products and lots, not every product of the medicine.
| Started | Class | Company | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2023 | Class II | Astral SteriTech Private Ltd. not a listed maker | Lack of Assurance of Sterility |
| September 21, 2022 | Class II | Viatris Inc not a listed maker | Presence of Particulate Matter: A complaint was received for the presence of a single strand of hair in one vial. |
| April 13, 2022 | Class II | Mckesson Medical-Surgical Inc. Corporate Office | cGMP deviations: Temperature abuse |
| September 25, 2017 | Class III | Sandoz Inc | Labeling: Missing Label: customer complaint that some vials of ampicillin within the shrink wrap pack are missing labels. |
| August 13, 2015 | Class III | Vintage Pharmaceuticals LLC, DBA Qualitest Pharmaceuticals | Labeling: Incorrect Or Missing Package Insert: Product is labeled with unapproved labeling. |
Source: FDA Enforcement Report (drug recalls) via openFDA, through October 8, 2026
What does the ampicillin label say about other medicines?
The ampicillin label names 2 other medicines in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The labels of 8 other medicines name ampicillin. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Allopurinol | drug interactions | Drug Interactions The concurrent administration of allopurinol and ampicillin increases substantially the incidence of skin rashes in patients receiving both drugs as compared to patients receiving ampicillin alone. |
| Epinephrine | warnings | SERIOUS ANAPHYLACTOID REACTIONS REQUIRE IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY TREATMENT WITH EPINEPHRINE, OXYGEN, INTRAVENOUS STEROIDS, AND AIRWAY MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING INTUBATION, SHOULD ALSO BE ADMINISTERED AS INDICATED. |
Other labels that name ampicillin
Source: FDA drug label (Ampicillin), Sandoz Inc, effective February 21, 2025 (SPL set 64a04e8c-8f78-46b3-8f45-56ef225a4f74), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for ampicillin?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 8,240 reports that list ampicillin among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 1,308 are coded as a death and 3,455 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
How does ampicillin compare with medicines for the same use?
9 side-by-side pages set ampicillin beside a medicine whose label shares a use: approvals, generics, pharmacy cost, warnings and supply.
What next?
- Other penicillins
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Ampicillin side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Ampicillin shortage record
- every presentation, company and date
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other