Two medicines, side by side
Doxycycline vs fluconazole
Doxycycline and fluconazole are both labeled for urinary tract infections. Drugs@FDA records approvals of doxycycline since 1967 and of fluconazole since 1990. Pharmacies paid $0.118 per doxycycline hyclate 100 mg tablet and $0.380 per fluconazole 200 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. Doxycycline's other strengths are brand-only: $18.18 per Doryx mpc DR 60 mg tablet. In FDA's classes, doxycycline is a tetracycline-class drug and fluconazole an azole antifungal.
Check it at the source: the doxycycline FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 25, 2025); the fluconazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 7, 2026).
Highlights of the doxycycline record
Doxycycline (Vibramycin) · label of July 25, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsTo reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain effectiveness of doxycycline capsules and other antibacterial drugs, doxycycline 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 5, 1967
- Generic labelers
- 83 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.118 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- A presentation being discontinued
- Recalls
- 19
Highlights of the fluconazole record
Fluconazole (Diflucan) · label of April 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsFluconazole tablets are indicated for the treatment of: Vaginal candidiasis (vaginal yeast infections due to Candida ). Oropharyngeal and esophageal candidiasis. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- January 29, 1990
- Generic labelers
- 41 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.380 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 18
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Doxycycline label of July 25, 2025, Fluconazole label of April 7, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do doxycycline and fluconazole differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, doxycycline is a tetracycline-class drug and fluconazole an azole antifungal.
Half-life, in each label's words: Doxycycline, “1.62 0.95 0.37 0.15 (μg/mL) Average Observed Values Maximum Concentration 3.61 μg/mL (± 0.9 sd) Time of Maximum …”; Fluconazole, “Peak plasma concentrations (C max ) in fasted normal volunteers occur between 1 and 2 hours with a terminal plasma …”
Generics: doxycycline since 1973; fluconazole since 2004 (Drugs@FDA).
| Doxycycline | Fluconazole | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Urinary tract infections, Bacterial infections, Acne | Fungal infections, Urinary tract infections |
| Pharmacologic class | Tetracycline-class Drug | Azole Antifungal |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | 1.62 0.95 0.37 0.15 (μg/mL) Average Observed Values Maximum Concentration 3.61 μg/mL (± 0.9 sd) Time of Maximum Concentration 2.60 hr (± 1.10 sd) Elimination Rate Constant 0.049 per hr (± 0.030 sd) Half-Life 16.33 hr (± … | Peak plasma concentrations (C max ) in fasted normal volunteers occur between 1 and 2 hours with a terminal plasma elimination half-life of approximately 30 hours (range: 20 to 50 hours) after oral administration. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 5, 1967 | January 29, 1990 |
| First generic approved | June 18, 1973 | July 29, 2004 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 83 labelers | 41 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.118 per tablet (Doxycycline hyclate 100 mg tablet) | $0.380 per tablet (Fluconazole 200 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -2% | -10% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | A presentation being discontinued | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 19 | 18 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 69,571 | 69,671 |
| 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 doxycycline
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions