Two medicines, side by side
Erythromycin vs mupirocin
Erythromycin is labeled for bacterial infections and acne; mupirocin has no indication this site maps. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of erythromycin since 1964 and of mupirocin since 1987. Pharmacies paid $1.96 per erythromycin 250 mg tablet and $0.854 per gram (Mupirocin 2% cream) (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, erythromycin is a macrolide and mupirocin a rna synthetase inhibitor antibacterial.
Check it at the source: the erythromycin FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 1, 2024); the mupirocin FDA label on DailyMed (effective October 28, 2025).
Highlights of the erythromycin record
Erythromycin (Erythrocin) · label of August 1, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsTo reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of erythromycin tablets and other antibacterial drugs, erythromycin tablets 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
- June 25, 1964
- Generic labelers
- 38 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $1.96 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 2
Highlights of the mupirocin record
Mupirocin (Bactroban) · label of October 28, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsMupirocin ointment is indicated for the topical treatment of impetigo due to susceptible isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes). Mupirocin ointment is an RNA synthetase inhibitor antibacterial indicated for the topical treatment of impetigo due to susceptible isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 31, 1987
- Generic labelers
- 27 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.854 per gram
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 3
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Erythromycin label of August 1, 2024, Mupirocin label of October 28, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do erythromycin and mupirocin differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, erythromycin is a macrolide and mupirocin a rna synthetase inhibitor antibacterial.
Generics: erythromycin since 1964; mupirocin since 2003 (Drugs@FDA).
| Erythromycin | Mupirocin | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Bacterial infections, Acne | n/a |
| Pharmacologic class | Macrolide, Macrolide Antimicrobial | RNA Synthetase Inhibitor Antibacterial |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Mupirocin is an RNA synthetase inhibitor antibacterial [see Microbiology ( 12.4 )]. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | Elimination In a trial conducted in 7 healthy adult male subjects, the elimination half-life after intravenous administration of mupirocin was 20 to 40 minutes for mupirocin and 30 to 80 minutes for monic acid. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | June 25, 1964 | December 31, 1987 |
| First generic approved | June 24, 1964 | November 7, 2003 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 38 labelers | 27 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $1.96 per tablet (Erythromycin 250 mg tablet) | $0.854 per gram (Mupirocin 2% cream) |
| 12-month price change | +12% | -15% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 2 | 3 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 18,956 | 13,755 |
| 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 erythromycin
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions