Two medicines, side by side
Cefprozil vs cefdinir
Cefprozil and cefdinir are both labeled for bacterial infections. Drugs@FDA records approvals of cefprozil since 1991 and of cefdinir since 1997. Pharmacies paid $0.925 per cefprozil 500 mg tablet and $0.458 per cefdinir 300 mg capsule (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like.
Check it at the source: the cefprozil FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 5, 2024); the cefdinir FDA label on DailyMed (effective October 14, 2025).
Highlights of the cefprozil record
Cefprozil (Cefzil) · label of May 5, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsTo reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of cefprozil and other antibacterial drugs, cefprozil should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. When culture and susceptibility information are available, they should be considered in selecting or modifying antibacterial therapy. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 23, 1991
- Generic labelers
- 7 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.925 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Highlights of the cefdinir record
Cefdinir (Omnicef) · label of October 14, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsTo reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of cefdinir capsules and other antibacterial drugs, cefdinir capsules should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. When culture and susceptibility information are available, they should be considered in selecting or modifying antibacterial therapy. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 4, 1997
- Generic labelers
- 26 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.458 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 11
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Cefprozil label of May 5, 2024, Cefdinir label of October 14, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do cefprozil and cefdinir differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class cephalosporin antibacterials.
Generics: cefprozil since 2005; cefdinir since 2006 (Drugs@FDA).
| Cefprozil | Cefdinir | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Bacterial infections | Bacterial infections |
| Pharmacologic class | Cephalosporin Antibacterial | Cephalosporin Antibacterial |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | The average plasma half-life in normal subjects was 1.3 hours, while the steady-state volume of distribution was estimated to be 0.23 L/kg. | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 23, 1991 | December 4, 1997 |
| First generic approved | November 14, 2005 | May 19, 2006 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 7 labelers | 26 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.925 per tablet (Cefprozil 500 mg tablet) | $0.458 per capsule (Cefdinir 300 mg capsule) |
| 12-month price change | -11% | +0.7% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 1 | 11 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 780 | 7,628 |
| 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 cefprozil
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions