doxycycline hyclate
Brand names: Doryx MPC
Doxycycline hyclate is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body. It can treat many different types of infections.
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.11/unit
Generic Available
Yes (32 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This medicine can treat infections like Rocky Mountain spotted fever and typhus.
Common side effects
Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea
Key warnings
Doxycycline can cause permanent tooth discoloration if used during tooth development.
How It Works
Doxycycline stops bacteria from growing by interfering with how they make proteins. This helps your body fight off the infection. It is a tetracycline antibiotic.
How to Take It
Take doxycycline exactly as your doctor tells you. The usual dose for adults is 200 mg on the first day, then 100 mg each day after. For some infections, you may need to take 100 mg every 12 hours. You can take it with food or milk if it upsets your stomach.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Doxycycline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if doxycycline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store doxycycline at room temperature, away from light and moisture.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 41,171 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 63,762 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2003–2025.
Total Reports
63,762
Death-Related Reports
6,312
Hospitalization Reports
20,575
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 4,954 |
| 2 | NAUSEA | 4,733 |
| 3 | OFF LABEL USE | 4,410 |
| 4 | FATIGUE | 4,376 |
| 5 | RASH | 3,919 |
| 6 | DIARRHOEA | 3,813 |
| 7 | PAIN | 3,796 |
| 8 | DYSPNOEA | 3,786 |
| 9 | HEADACHE | 3,723 |
| 10 | VOMITING | 3,658 |
| 11 | DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY | 3,630 |
| 12 | MALAISE | 2,812 |
| 13 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 2,770 |
| 14 | DIZZINESS | 2,755 |
| 15 | PRURITUS | 2,729 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Doxycycline can cause permanent tooth discoloration if used during tooth development. Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Known Drug Interactions
Drug Interactions Because tetracyclines have been shown to depress plasma prothrombin activity, patients who are on anticoagulant therapy may require downward adjustment of their anticoagulant dosage. Since bacteriostatic drugs may interfere with the bactericidal action of penicillin, it is advisable to avoid giving tetracyclines in conjunction with penicillin. Absorption of tetracyclines is impaired by antacids containing aluminum, calcium, or magnesium, and iron-containing preparations.
Mechanism: These drugs are very similar and work in the same way, so taking them together can lead to too much medicine in your system and more side effects.
What to do: Check with your doctor or pharmacist before using these two medications at the same time.
Barbiturates, carbamazepine, and phenytoin decrease the half-life of doxycycline.
Mechanism: Certain medications can cause your body to clear doxycycline from your system much faster than usual.
What to do: Your doctor may need to adjust your treatment plan to make sure the medicine stays at a helpful level in your body.
Barbiturates, carbamazepine, and phenytoin decrease the half-life of doxycycline.
Mechanism: Carbamazepine causes your body to break down doxycycline faster than it should. This means the antibiotic leaves your system too quickly to work effectively.
What to do: Your doctor may need to adjust your dose of doxycycline or monitor you to make sure the infection is clearing up.
Absorption of tetracyclines is impaired by bismuth subsalicylate.
Mechanism: Bismuth subsalicylate stops your body from absorbing doxycycline into your blood. This can prevent the antibiotic from working to kill bacteria.
What to do: Do not take these two medicines at the exact same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how to space them out during the day.
Barbiturates, carbamazepine, and phenytoin decrease the half-life of doxycycline.
Mechanism: Phenytoin speeds up how fast your body gets rid of doxycycline. This lowers the amount of medicine in your body, which might make it less effective.
What to do: Your healthcare provider may need to increase your doxycycline dose or check that the treatment is still working.
Common Questions
Can I take doxycycline with food?
What should I do if I miss a dose?
Can doxycycline affect my birth control?
How long should I take doxycycline?
Can doxycycline cause sun sensitivity?
Can I drink alcohol while taking doxycycline?
What if I experience severe diarrhea?
Can doxycycline cause yeast infections?
Is it safe to take doxycycline if I have kidney problems?
Can doxycycline cause tooth discoloration?
What are the common side effects of doxycycline hyclate?
Does doxycycline hyclate interact with other medications?
What drug class is doxycycline hyclate?
Is doxycycline hyclate safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in Tetracycline Antibiotic (Antimalarial)
Other drugs grouped near doxycycline hyclate — same-class peers and common alternatives.
acyclovir
Zovirax
Acyclovir is an antiviral medicine.
Compare with doxycycline hyclate →
albendazole
Albenza
Albendazole is a medicine that fights parasites.
Compare with doxycycline hyclate →
amphotericin B
Ambisome, Fungizone
Amphotericin B liposome is an antifungal medicine.
Compare with doxycycline hyclate →
anidulafungin
Eraxis
Eraxis is an antifungal medicine.
Compare with doxycycline hyclate →
atovaquone/proguanil
Malarone
Malarone is a drug used to prevent and treat malaria.
Compare with doxycycline hyclate →
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
Related Health & Safety Data
🩺 Find a Doctor
Search prescribers for Tetracycline Antibiotic (Antimalarial)
🏨 Hospital Quality
CMS hospital ratings, safety scores & patient outcomes
💊 Supplement Data
NIH DSLD — check supplement ingredients & label claims
🍽️ Food Safety Alerts
FDA recalls, inspections & outbreak investigations
⚠️ Product Recalls
FDA, CPSC & NHTSA recall search
💉 Procedure Costs
Medicare procedure pricing for 9,297 procedures
Save on doxycycline hyclate
Compare prices and find discounts at pharmacies near you. Free coupons can save up to 80% on prescriptions.
Disclosure: This link may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. See our terms.
What the FDA Data Shows for doxycycline hyclate
The FDA label for doxycycline hyclate (sold under brand names such as Doryx MPC) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Tetracycline Antibiotic (Antimalarial) class. This medicine can treat infections like Rocky Mountain spotted fever and typhus. Official labeling lists 3 commonly reported side effects, including Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 41,171 voluntary reports. The database also lists 5 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.11.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: September 18, 2024
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages