Two medicines, side by side
Erythromycin vs tetracycline
Erythromycin and tetracycline are both labeled for bacterial infections. Drugs@FDA records approvals of erythromycin since 1964 and of tetracycline since 1953. Pharmacies paid $1.96 per erythromycin 250 mg tablet and $0.247 per tetracycline 250 mg capsule (NADAC, October 7, 2026). In FDA's classes, erythromycin is a macrolide and tetracycline a tetracycline-class antimicrobial.
Check it at the source: the erythromycin FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 1, 2024); the tetracycline FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 18, 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 tetracycline record
Tetracycline (Achromycin) · label of March 18, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsTo reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of tetracycline hydrochloride and other antibacterial drugs, tetracycline hydrochloride should be used only to treat 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
- November 19, 1953
- Generic labelers
- 10 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.247 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 2
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Erythromycin label of August 1, 2024, Tetracycline label of March 18, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do erythromycin and tetracycline differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, erythromycin is a macrolide and tetracycline a tetracycline-class antimicrobial.
Generics: erythromycin since 1964; tetracycline since 1954 (Drugs@FDA).
| Erythromycin | Tetracycline | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Bacterial infections, Acne | Bacterial infections |
| Pharmacologic class | Macrolide, Macrolide Antimicrobial | Tetracycline-class Antimicrobial |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | June 25, 1964 | November 19, 1953 |
| First generic approved | June 24, 1964 | September 17, 1954 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 38 labelers | 10 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $1.96 per tablet (Erythromycin 250 mg tablet) | $0.247 per capsule (Tetracycline 250 mg capsule) |
| 12-month price change | +12% | -65% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 2 | 2 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 18,956 | 767 |
| 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