Over-the-counter medicine
Carboxymethylcellulose
Carboxymethylcellulose is an over-the-counter medicine. No generic is listed; pharmacies paid $0.267 per unit (Carboxymethylcell 0.5% eye drp) in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- No generic listed
- Over the counter
Check it at the source: the carboxymethylcellulose FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 30, 2022); every carboxymethylcellulose label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of June 30, 2022; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageFor the temporary relief of burning, irritation, and discomfort due to dryness of the eye or exposure to wind or sun.
Forms and strengths
- 0.25 g/100ml
- 0.5 g/100ml
- 0.5 mg/100ml
- 2.5 mg/ml
- 5 mg/ml
- 10 mg/ml
- 60 g/100g
Solution/ drops; gel; solution; liquid; for solution.
On the market
- Generic approvals
- No generic approved
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 40 of which 0 under generic applications, 0 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $0.267 per unit Carboxymethylcell 0.5% eye drp
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- 0 since 2021 5 Class I among all firms' recalls; 13 more by firms not listed as its makers
- FAERS reports
- 10,401 through July 30, 2026
What is carboxymethylcellulose used for?
From the label: indications and usageFor the temporary relief of burning, irritation, and discomfort due to dryness of the eye or exposure to wind or sun. May be used as a protectant against further irritation.
Source: FDA drug label (REFRESH TEARS), Allergan, Inc., effective June 30, 2022 (SPL set 329d1fe0-4432-4565-b7b1-65666bd86526), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for carboxymethylcellulose?
No generic carboxymethylcellulose is approved (Drugs@FDA, October 8, 2026).
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for carboxymethylcellulose?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.267 per unit (Carboxymethylcell 0.5% eye drp), down 30% from $0.381 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.
- Carboxymethylcell 0.5% eye drp (generic)
- Refresh plus 0.5% eye drops (brand)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carboxymethylcell 0.5% eye drp | Generic | $0.267 per unit | n/a | -30% |
| Ft lubricant 0.5% eye drop | Generic | $0.227 per unit | n/a | +27% |
| Gnp lubricant 0.5% eye drop | Generic | $0.227 per unit | n/a | +27% |
| Lubricant 0.5% eye drop | Generic | $0.267 per unit | n/a | -30% |
| Lubricant 0.5% eye drops | Generic | $0.195 per unit | n/a | +23% |
| Refresh celluvisc 1% eye gel | Brand | $0.367 per unit | n/a | no change |
| Refresh liquigel 1% eye drop | Brand | $0.578 per mL | n/a | +0.1% |
| Refresh plus 0.5% eye drops | Brand | $0.276 per unit | n/a | no change |
| Refresh tears 0.5% eye drop | Brand | $0.485 per mL | n/a | -0.1% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
Has carboxymethylcellulose been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 13 recalls naming carboxymethylcellulose since 2021: 5 Class I (the most serious), 7 Class II, 1 Class III; 12 still ongoing. 13 of them are by firms that FDA's NDC Directory does not list as a maker of carboxymethylcellulose 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 20, 2026 | Class II | Sterling Pharmaceutical Services LLC not a listed maker | Lack of Assurance of Sterility |
| April 23, 2025 | Class II | BRS Analytical Services, LLC not a listed maker | cGMP deviations and lack of assurance of sterility. |
| December 18, 2024 | Class III | AvKARE not a listed maker | LABELING: LABEL MIX-UP |
| November 13, 2023 | Class I | Kilitch Healthcare India Limited not a listed maker | Non-Sterility |
| October 31, 2023 | Class I | Cardinal Health Inc. not a listed maker | Non-Sterility: FDA found insanitary conditions and positive bacterial test results from environmental sampling at the manufacturing facility. |
| September 8, 2021 | Class II | Akorn, Inc. not a listed maker | Lack of Assurance of Sterility |
Source: FDA Enforcement Report (drug recalls) via openFDA, through October 8, 2026
What does the carboxymethylcellulose label say about other medicines?
The carboxymethylcellulose label names no other medicine on this site. The labels of 1 other medicine name carboxymethylcellulose. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
Source: FDA drug label (REFRESH TEARS), Allergan, Inc., effective June 30, 2022 (SPL set 329d1fe0-4432-4565-b7b1-65666bd86526), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for carboxymethylcellulose?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 10,401 reports that list carboxymethylcellulose among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 358 are coded as a death and 1,896 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?
- Carboxymethylcellulose side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other