Two medicines, side by side
Cefoxitin vs ceftriaxone
Cefoxitin and ceftriaxone are both labeled for bacterial infections and urinary tract infections. Drugs@FDA records approvals of cefoxitin since 1978 and of ceftriaxone since 1984. How each works, in its label's words: Cefoxitin, “Mechanism of Action Cefoxitin is a bactericidal agent that acts by inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis.”; Ceftriaxone, “Microbiology: Mechanism of Action Ceftriaxone is a bactericidal agent that acts by inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis.”
Check it at the source: the cefoxitin FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 11, 2024); the ceftriaxone FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 4, 2026).
Highlights of the cefoxitin record
Cefoxitin (Mefoxin) · label of April 11, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsTreatment Cefoxitin for Injection, USP is indicated for the treatment of serious infections caused by susceptible strains of the designated microorganisms in the diseases listed below. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 18, 1978
- Generic labelers
- 5 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Highlights of the ceftriaxone record
Ceftriaxone (Rocephin) · label of February 4, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsBefore instituting treatment with Ceftriaxone for injection, USP, appropriate specimens should be obtained for isolation of the causative organism and for determination of its susceptibility to the drug. Therapy may be instituted prior to obtaining results of susceptibility testing. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 21, 1984
- Generic labelers
- 16 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $1.44 per vial
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 20
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Cefoxitin label of April 11, 2024, Ceftriaxone label of February 4, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do cefoxitin and ceftriaxone differ on the record?
How each works, in its label's words: Cefoxitin, “Mechanism of Action Cefoxitin is a bactericidal agent that acts by inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis.”; Ceftriaxone, “Microbiology: Mechanism of Action Ceftriaxone is a bactericidal agent that acts by inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis.”
Both are in FDA's class cephalosporin antibacterials.
Half-life, in each label's words: Cefoxitin, “The half-life after an intravenous dose is 41 to 59 minutes.”; Ceftriaxone, “Based on middle ear fluid ceftriaxone concentrations in the 23 to 25 hour and the 46 to 50 hour sampling time …”
Generics: cefoxitin since 1987; ceftriaxone since 1987 (Drugs@FDA).
| Cefoxitin | Ceftriaxone | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Bacterial infections, Urinary tract infections | Urinary tract infections, Bacterial infections |
| Pharmacologic class | Cephalosporin Antibacterial | Cephalosporin Antibacterial |
| How it works (label) | Mechanism of Action Cefoxitin is a bactericidal agent that acts by inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis. | Microbiology: Mechanism of Action Ceftriaxone is a bactericidal agent that acts by inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis. |
| Half-life (label) | The half-life after an intravenous dose is 41 to 59 minutes. | Based on middle ear fluid ceftriaxone concentrations in the 23 to 25 hour and the 46 to 50 hour sampling time intervals, a half-life of 25 hours was calculated. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | October 18, 1978 | December 21, 1984 |
| First generic approved | January 8, 1987 | April 30, 1987 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 5 labelers | 16 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | n/a | $1.44 per vial (Ceftriaxone 1 g vial) |
| 12-month price change | n/a | -4% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 1 | 20 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 1,373 | 38,242 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to cefoxitin
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions