Over-the-counter medicine
Isopropyl alcohol First approved as Zuragard
Isopropyl alcohol (Zuragard) is an over-the-counter medicine with an FDA approval on record since 2019. No generic is listed; pharmacies paid $0.091 per mL (Swim ear drops) in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- No generic listed
- Over the counter
Check it at the source: the isopropyl alcohol FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 26, 2026); the NDA 210872 record on Drugs@FDA; every isopropyl alcohol label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of August 26, 2026; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageSection Use Section
Forms and strengths
- 0.7 ml
- 700 ml
- 0.7 ml/ml
- 0.7 g/g
- 0.7 ml/g
- 0.75 ml/ml
- 0.91 ml/ml
- 0.91 mg/ml
- 50 ml/100ml
- 70 ml/100ml
- 70 g/100g
- 70 ml/100g
Liquid; swab; cloth; solution; spray.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- April 26, 2019 Zuragard, Zurex Pharma; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- No generic approved
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 267 of which 0 under generic applications, 0 under brand applications, repackagers included
- Last listed patent
- April 24, 2036 Zuragard solution; not a generic launch date
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $0.091 per mL Swim ear drops
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- 0 since 2021 0 Class I among all firms' recalls; 14 more by firms not listed as its makers
- FAERS reports
- 41,892 through July 30, 2026
What is isopropyl alcohol used for?
From the label: indications and usageSection Use Section
Source: FDA drug label (Stone Hand Sanitizer), handetizer, LLC., effective August 26, 2026 (SPL set 59f821e0-b129-5c39-e063-6294a90a47a0), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for isopropyl alcohol (Zuragard)?
No generic isopropyl alcohol is approved (Drugs@FDA, October 8, 2026).
The Orange Book lists 5 patents for Zuragard solution, the last expiring on April 24, 2036. A patent or exclusivity date is not the date a generic goes on sale: court cases and settlements move it either way.
- 2019 earliest approval on file
- 2036 last listed patent
- red ticks recalls
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for isopropyl alcohol (Zuragard)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.091 per mL (Swim ear drops), down 2% from $0.0928 on October 8, 2025. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.
- Alcohol 70% prep pads (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol 70% prep pads | Generic | $0.0136 per unit | n/a | +4% |
| Ear drops for swimmers | Generic | $0.0835 per mL | n/a | +30% |
| Ft isopropyl alcohol 91% | Generic | $0.0537 per mL | n/a | -4% |
| Gnp isopropyl alcohol 91% | Generic | $0.0537 per mL | n/a | -4% |
| Hm isopropyl alcohol 91% | Generic | $0.0537 per mL | n/a | -4% |
| Qc alcohol 70% prep pads | Generic | $0.0136 per unit | n/a | +4% |
| Swim ear drops | Generic | $0.091 per mL | n/a | -2% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
Has isopropyl alcohol been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 14 recalls naming isopropyl alcohol since 2021: 0 Class I (the most serious), 12 Class II, 2 Class III; 11 still ongoing. 14 of them are by firms that FDA's NDC Directory does not list as a maker of isopropyl alcohol and that hold no application for it in Drugs@FDA, such as compounding pharmacies or bulk-ingredient suppliers; the recall notice names the product recalled. A recall names products and lots, not every product of the medicine.
| Started | Class | Company | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 20, 2026 | Class II | ACME UNITED CORPORATION not a listed maker | CGMP Deviations |
| August 25, 2025 | Class III | Consumer Product Partners, LLC not a listed maker | Cross Contamination with Other Products. |
| July 7, 2025 | Class II | MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, LP - Northfield not a listed maker | Subpotent Drug- isopropyl alcohol levels fall below the labeled concentration. |
| February 17, 2025 | Class II | MEDLINE INDUSTRIES, LP - Northfield not a listed maker | Subpotent Drug |
| June 29, 2022 | Class II | Mckesson Medical-Surgical Inc. Corporate Office not a listed maker | CGMP Deviations: products were stored outside the drug label specifications. |
| June 15, 2022 | Class II | Vi-Jon, LLC not a listed maker | Defective Container: Product may leak when squeezed or when not in an upright position determined to be due to defects in the bottle neck finish and … |
| September 9, 2021 | Class II | Vi-Jon, Inc. not a listed maker | Labeling: Label Mix-Up.The recall has been initiated after receiving one complaint about incorrect labeling.The primary label on the front and back label on … |
Source: FDA Enforcement Report (drug recalls) via openFDA, through October 8, 2026
What do FAERS reports show for isopropyl alcohol?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 41,892 reports that list isopropyl alcohol among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 24,766 are coded as a death and 13,510 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What next?
- Isopropyl alcohol side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other