Over-the-counter medicine
Camphor
Camphor is an over-the-counter medicine. No generic is listed; pharmacies paid $0.0188 per mL (Vapor steam liquid) in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- No generic listed
- Over the counter
Check it at the source: the camphor FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 12, 2026); every camphor label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of February 12, 2026; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageDirections Clean and dry affected area.
Forms and strengths
- 0.062 g/ml
- 0.2 g/100ml
- 0.5 mg/100ml
- 0.623 g/10ml
- 0.9 g/100ml
- 1 mg/g
- 1 g/100g
- 1 mg/ml
- 1.5 g/100g
- 1.5 g/100ml
- 2.295 g/76.5g
- 3 g/100g
Liquid; ointment; cream; gel; salve.
On the market
- Generic approvals
- No generic approved
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 53 of which 0 under generic applications, 0 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $0.0188 per mL Vapor steam liquid
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- No recall recorded
- FAERS reports
- 208 through July 30, 2026
What is camphor used for?
From the label: indications and usageDirections Clean and dry affected area. Tear off the back paper. Stick to the affected area.
Conditions named in the indications of camphor's FDA labels, with every medicine labeled for each:
From other camphor labelsPain: Uses Temporarily relieve minor pain in joints such as neck, waist and legs.
Cough and cold: Use temporarily relieves cough associated with a cold
Herpes and shingles: Use Helps provide relief of symptoms of cold sores and dry lips.
Source: FDA drug label (iShancare Neck Pain Patch), Shenzhen Ishan Technology Co., Ltd, effective February 12, 2026 (SPL set 2acad1f0-7df5-ef03-e063-6294a90a06a9), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for camphor?
No generic camphor is approved (Drugs@FDA, October 8, 2026).
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for camphor?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.0188 per mL (Vapor steam liquid), up 4% from $0.0182 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.
- Gnp vapor steam 6.2% liquid (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camphor spirit | Generic | $0.048 per mL | n/a | -2% |
| Ft camphor spirit | Generic | $0.048 per mL | n/a | -2% |
| Gnp vapor steam 6.2% liquid | Generic | $0.0188 per mL | n/a | +4% |
| Vapor steam liquid | Generic | $0.0188 per mL | n/a | +4% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
What do FAERS reports show for camphor?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 208 reports that list camphor among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 17 are coded as a death and 82 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.
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What else is labeled for the same conditions as camphor?
14 other medicines are given the same way (topical) and in the same FDA class as camphor or labeled mainly for the same use (pain), the same class first. Pain lists all 80 medicines labeled for it, by any route. The first 8 are below. They are listed as records, not as substitutes: whether one can replace another is a prescriber's decision.
| Medicine | Shared indication | Generic labelers (topical) | Pharmacy cost | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lidocaine | Pain | 56 labelers | $0.154 per gram 5% ointment | In shortage |
| Menthol | Pain | none listed | $0.0557 per mL 4% gel | No current entry |
| Diclofenac | Pain | 103 labelers | $0.0813 per gram 1% gel | A presentation being discontinued |
| Bacitracin and neomycin and polymyxin b | Pain | none listed | $0.111 per gram Triple antibiotic ointment | No current entry |
| Menthol and methyl salicylate | Pain | none listed | $0.0365 per gram 15%-10% cream | No current entry |
| Capsaicin | Pain | none listed | $0.207 per gram 0.1% cream | No current entry |
| Benzocaine | Pain | none listed | n/a | No current entry |
| Witch hazel | Pain | none listed | $0.0435 per unit 50% pad | No current entry |
Source: FDA drug labels (indications), NDC Directory, NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages (October 8, 2026)
How does camphor compare with medicines for the same use?
3 side-by-side pages set camphor beside a medicine whose label shares a use: approvals, generics, pharmacy cost, warnings and supply.
What next?
- Camphor side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other