Medication class
Antibiotics
Anti-infective drugs that treat bacterial infections, including penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, and fluoroquinolones.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 56
- Medications
- 40
- With a generic
- 62%
- Avg generic savings
- 4
- In active shortage
Drug class assignments follow the FDA openFDA therapeutic classification, and clinical details are drawn from FDA Structured Product Labeling (DailyMed). See the full sources below.
PlainMeds tracks 56 antibiotics medications compiled from official FDA drug labels, including ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin, doxycycline.
Antibiotics medications are grouped here by the openFDA therapeutic classification and drawn from FDA Structured Product Labeling. PlainMeds lists 56 in this class, 40 with a lower-cost generic available (averaging about 62% versus brand). Each drug page covers labeled uses, FAERS-reported side effects, interactions, recalls and NADAC pricing. This is educational information from public data, not medical advice.
What antibiotics drugs cost
Highest NADAC acquisition cost per unit in this class, brand and generic
- fidaxomicin
fidaxomicin
$239 per unit
- delafloxacin $72
delafloxacin
$72 per unit
- clindamycin $59
clindamycin
$59 per unit
- fosfomycin $42
fosfomycin
$42 per unit
- ertapenem $38
ertapenem
$38 per unit
- daptomycin $18
daptomycin
$18 per unit
- meropenem $7
meropenem
$7 per unit
- cefixime $6
cefixime
$6 per unit
- amoxicillin/clavulanate $6
amoxicillin/clavulanate
$6 per unit
- nitrofurantoin $4
nitrofurantoin
$4 per unit
What this shows fidaxomicin is the costliest in this class at $239.00/unit; generics in the same class run a fraction of that.
Generic availability vs other classes
71% of antibiotics medications have a generic available, ranking #12 of 22 therapeutic classes (the typical class sits near 74%).
Source: CMS NADAC generic-availability flags across all PlainMeds therapeutic classes. The dot is this class; the line is the cross-class median.
amikacin
Amikin
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine.
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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.
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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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cefazolin
Ancef, Kefzol
Cefazolin is an antibiotic medicine.
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cefdinir
Omnicef
Cefdinir is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body.
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cefepime
Maxipime
Cefepime is an antibiotic medicine.
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cefixime
Suprax
Cefixime is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body.
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cefpodoxime
Vantin
Cefpodoxime is an antibiotic that fights bacterial infections.
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ceftaroline
Teflaro
Ceftaroline (Teflaro) is an antibiotic medicine.
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ceftazidime
Fortaz
Ceftazidime is an antibiotic medicine.
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ceftazidime/avibactam
Avycaz
Avycaz is a drug that combines two medicines, ceftazidime and avibactam.
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ceftolozane/tazobactam
Zerbaxa
Zerbaxa is a combination of two antibiotics, ceftolozane and tazobactam.
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ceftriaxone
Rocephin
Ceftriaxone is an antibiotic medicine.
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cefuroxime
Ceftin, Zinacef
Cefuroxime is an antibiotic that fights bacterial infections.
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cephalexin
Keflex
Cephalexin is an antibiotic medicine.
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ciprofloxacin
Cipro
Ciprofloxacin eye drops are an antibiotic medicine.
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clarithromycin
Biaxin
Clarithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacterial infections.
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clindamycin
Cleocin
Clindamycin phosphate topical lotion is an antibiotic medicine that you put on your skin.
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colistin
Coly-Mycin M
Cortisporin TC Otic is an ear drop medicine.
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dalbavancin
Dalvance
Dalbavancin is an antibiotic medicine.
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daptomycin
Cubicin
Daptomycin is an antibiotic medicine.
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delafloxacin
Baxdela
Baxdela is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body.
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dicloxacillin
Dynapen
Dicloxacillin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body.
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doxycycline
Vibramycin, Doryx
Doxycycline is an antibiotic medicine.
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eravacycline
Xerava
Xerava is an antibiotic medicine.
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ertapenem
Invanz
Ertapenem is an antibiotic medicine.
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erythromycin
E-Mycin, Ery-Tab
Erythromycin Topical Solution is a medicine that you put on your skin to treat acne.
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fidaxomicin
Dificid
Fidaxomicin is an antibiotic medicine.
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fosfomycin
Monurol
Fosfomycin is an antibiotic medicine.
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gentamicin
Garamycin
Gentamicin is an antibiotic medicine.
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imipenem/cilastatin
Primaxin
Primaxin is a strong antibiotic medicine.
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lefamulin
Xenleta
Xenleta is an antibiotic medicine.
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levofloxacin
Levaquin
Levofloxacin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body.
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linezolid
Zyvox
Linezolid is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body.
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meropenem
Merrem
Meropenem is an antibiotic medicine.
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meropenem/vaborbactam
Vabomere
Vabomere is a drug that combines two medicines to fight certain infections.
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metronidazole
Flagyl
Metronidazole is an antibiotic medicine.
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minocycline
Minocin, Solodyn
Minocycline is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body.
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moxifloxacin
Avelox
Moxifloxacin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body.
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nitrofurantoin
Macrobid, Macrodantin
Nitrofurantoin is an antibiotic medicine.
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ofloxacin
Floxin, Ocuflox
Ofloxacin ear drops are an antibiotic medicine.
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omadacycline
Nuzyra
Nuzyra is an antibiotic medicine.
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oritavancin
Orbactiv
KIMYRSA is an antibiotic medicine.
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penicillin V
Pen-Vee K
Penicillin V is an antibiotic.
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piperacillin/tazobactam
Zosyn
Zosyn is a combination of two medicines, piperacillin and tazobactam.
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plazomicin
Zemdri
Zemdri is an antibiotic medicine.
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rifampin
Rifadin
Rifampin is an antibiotic medicine.
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sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim
Bactrim, Septra
Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim is a combination antibiotic.
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tedizolid
Sivextro
Tedizolid (Sivextro) is an antibiotic medicine.
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tetracycline
Sumycin
Tetracycline is an antibiotic medicine.
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tigecycline
Tygacil
Tigecycline is an antibiotic medicine.
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tobramycin
Tobi, Nebcin
Tobramycin is an antibiotic medicine.
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trimethoprim
Primsol
This medicine contains sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim.
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vancomycin
Vancocin
Vancomycin is a strong antibiotic.
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Understanding the Antibiotics Category
The Antibiotics category currently lists 56 medications in this database, each drawn from FDA drug labels and grouped by therapeutic classification. Anti-infective drugs that treat bacterial infections, including penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, and fluoroquinolones. Clinical guidelines usually treat these medications as a reference set when weighing treatment options, switching strategies, or comparing safety profiles.
Within this category you'll find examples such as ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin, doxycycline, alongside 53 other entries. Each drug page links to the same underlying FDA data, labeled uses, adverse events reported to FAERS, documented interactions, warnings, and, where available, NADAC acquisition pricing from CMS. Over-the-counter and prescription options can sit in the same category but follow different regulatory pathways: OTC products have simplified labeling aimed at self-care, while prescription drugs include detailed monographs meant for clinicians. That distinction matters when comparing dosing, monitoring requirements, and contraindications.
Browsing a category is a research starting point, not a treatment recommendation. Effectiveness, tolerability, and cost for any individual patient depend on the specific condition, comorbidities, other medications, genetics, and insurance coverage, none of which can be inferred from a category list alone. FAERS report counts, recall history, and shortage status all evolve as new data is reported to the FDA, so the relative standing of drugs in this class can shift month to month. This page is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice, a licensed clinician is the right source for personalized guidance.
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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.