Prescription medication · Natural Penicillin
penicillin V
Also sold as Pen-Vee K. Penicillin V treats mild to moderate infections caused by bacteria that are sensitive to penicillin.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 2,398
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- In shortage
- FDA status
What the data shows
penicillin V (Pen-Vee K) is a prescription Natural Penicillin, among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (2,398 FDA reports).
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
penicillin V (Pen-Vee K) is a prescription Natural Penicillin. Penicillin V treats mild to moderate infections caused by bacteria that are sensitive to penicillin.
Penicillin V is an antibiotic. It fights infections caused by bacteria.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Shortage Alert
penicillin V is currently listed as in shortage by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Pfizer Inc.. Status: Limited Availability.
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.05/unit
Generic Available
Yes (9 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Penicillin V treats mild to moderate infections caused by bacteria that are sensitive to penicillin.
Common side effects
Nausea, Vomiting, Upset stomach
Key warnings
You should not take this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to any penicillin antibiotic before.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from penicillin V's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Penicillin V stops bacteria from growing. It does this by preventing bacteria from building cell walls. Without a cell wall, the bacteria die.
How to Take It
Take Penicillin V exactly as your doctor tells you. The usual dose for adults and children 12 and over is 125 to 500 mg every 6 to 8 hours, depending on the infection. You should take it for the full course of treatment, even if you feel better. You can take it with or without food.
This is a plain-language summary of penicillin V's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It is not known if Penicillin V will harm an unborn baby. Penicillin V does pass into breast milk.
This is a plain-language summary of penicillin V's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
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.
This is a plain-language summary of penicillin V's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store Penicillin V at room temperature, away from heat and moisture. Keep the container tightly closed and out of reach of children.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 2,398 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for penicillin V, by number of reports
- Drug Hypersensitivity
Drug Hypersensitivity
457 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
211 reports
- Anxiety 178
Anxiety
178 reports
- Hypersensitivity 149
Hypersensitivity
149 reports
- Asthma 145
Asthma
145 reports
- Condition Aggravated 143
Condition Aggravated
143 reports
- Fatigue 135
Fatigue
135 reports
- Rash 130
Rash
130 reports
- Therapeutic Product Effect Incomplete 123
Therapeutic Product Effect Incomplete
123 reports
- Pain In Extremity 122
Pain In Extremity
122 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for penicillin V each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where penicillin V sits
penicillin V has more FDA adverse-event reports than 15% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is penicillin V; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 2,398 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
2,398
Reports Mentioning Death
171
7.1% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
612
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY | 457 |
| 2 | DYSPNOEA | 211 |
| 3 | ANXIETY | 178 |
| 4 | HYPERSENSITIVITY | 149 |
| 5 | ASTHMA | 145 |
| 6 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 143 |
| 7 | FATIGUE | 135 |
| 8 | RASH | 130 |
| 9 | THERAPEUTIC PRODUCT EFFECT INCOMPLETE | 123 |
| 10 | PAIN IN EXTREMITY | 122 |
| 11 | WHEEZING | 119 |
| 12 | HYPOTHYROIDISM | 116 |
| 13 | OBSTRUCTIVE AIRWAYS DISORDER | 116 |
| 15 | SLEEP DISORDER DUE TO A GENERAL MEDICAL CONDITION | 110 |
| 16 | PAIN | 106 |
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
You should not take this medicine if you have had an allergic reaction to any penicillin antibiotic before. Allergic reactions can be severe and even deadly.
Common Questions
Can I take Penicillin V if I'm allergic to amoxicillin?
How long should I take Penicillin V?
Can I drink alcohol while taking Penicillin V?
What should I do if I develop a rash while taking Penicillin V?
Can Penicillin V interact with other medications?
Is it okay to stop taking Penicillin V when I feel better?
Can Penicillin V cause diarrhea?
Does Penicillin V treat viral infections?
What if I can't swallow the pill?
Can I take Penicillin V with food?
What are the common side effects of penicillin V?
What drug class is penicillin V?
Is penicillin V safe during pregnancy?
Is penicillin V currently in shortage?
Related Medications in Natural Penicillin
Other drugs grouped near penicillin V - same-class peers and common alternatives.
amikacin
Amikin
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine.
Compare with penicillin V →
amoxicillin
Amoxil
Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium is a combination medicine used to fight bacterial infections.
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amoxicillin/clavulanate
Augmentin
Augmentin is a combination of two medicines, amoxicillin and clavulanate.
Compare with penicillin V →
ampicillin/sulbactam
Unasyn
Unasyn is a combination of two antibiotics that fights bacteria in your body.
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azithromycin
Zithromax, Z-Pack
Azithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria.
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What the FDA Data Shows for penicillin V
The FDA label for penicillin V (sold under brand names such as Pen-Vee K) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Natural Penicillin class. Penicillin V treats mild to moderate infections caused by bacteria that are sensitive to penicillin. Official labeling lists 5 commonly reported side effects, including Nausea, Vomiting, Upset stomach.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 2,398 voluntary reports. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.05.
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). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
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: October 15, 2025
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
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