Prescription medicine
Bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen
Bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen is a prescription medicine. No generic is listed; pharmacies paid $187.77 per Bcg (tice strain) vial in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- No generic listed
- Boxed warning
Check it at the source: the bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 20, 2026); every bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of February 20, 2026; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
TICE ® BCG contains live, attenuated mycobacteria. Because of the potential risk for transmission, prepare, handle, and dispose of TICE ® BCG as a biohazard material (see PRECAUTIONS and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION sections). BCG infections have been reported in health care workers, primarily from exposures resulting from accidental needle sticks or skin lacerations during the preparation of BCG for administration. Nosocomial infections have been reported in patients receiving parenteral drugs that were prepared in areas in which BCG was reconstituted. BCG is capable of dissemination when administered by the intravesical route, and serious infections, including fatal infections, have been reported in patients receiving intravesical BCG (see WARNINGS , PRECAUTIONS , and ADVERSE REACTIONS sections).
Used for
From the label: indications and usageTICE ® BCG is indicated for: the treatment and prophylaxis of carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the urinary bladder the prophylaxis of primary or recurrent stage Ta and/or T1 papillary tumors following transurethral resection (TUR) Limitations of Use: TICE BCG is not recommended for stage TaG1 papillary tumors, unless they are judged to be at high risk of tumor recurrence.
Forms and strengths
- 50 mg/50ml
Powder for suspension.
On the market
- Generic approvals
- No generic approved
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 1 of which 0 under generic applications, 1 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $187.77 per vial Bcg (tice strain) vial
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- No recall recorded
- FAERS reports
- 1,767 through July 30, 2026
What is bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen used for?
From the label: indications and usageTICE ® BCG is indicated for: the treatment and prophylaxis of carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the urinary bladder the prophylaxis of primary or recurrent stage Ta and/or T1 papillary tumors following transurethral resection (TUR) Limitations of Use: TICE BCG is not recommended for stage TaG1 papillary tumors, unless they are judged to be at high risk of tumor recurrence. TICE BCG is not indicated for papillary tumors of stages higher than T1.
FDA pharmacologic class: Live Attenuated Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Immunotherapy and Live Attenuated Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Vaccine.
Source: FDA drug label (TICE BCG), Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, effective February 20, 2026 (SPL set c9b74876-e665-442b-87ad-b7333bc9a67a), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen?
No generic bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen 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 bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $187.77 per Bcg (tice strain) vial, up 7% from $175.29 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.
- Bcg (tice strain) vial (brand)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bcg (tice strain) vial | Brand | $187.77 per vial | n/a | +7% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
What does the bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen label say about other medicines?
The bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen label names 4 other medicines in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Ethambutol | warnings | TICE BCG is sensitive to the most commonly used antituberculous agents (isoniazid, rifampin, and ethambutol). |
| Isoniazid | drug interactions | There are no data to suggest that the acute, local urinary tract toxicity common with BCG is due to mycobacterial infection, and antituberculosis drugs (e.g., isoniazid) should not be used to prevent or treat the local, irritative toxicities of TICE BCG. |
| Pyrazinamide | warnings | TICE BCG is not sensitive to pyrazinamide. |
| Rifampin | warnings | TICE BCG is sensitive to the most commonly used antituberculous agents (isoniazid, rifampin, and ethambutol). |
Check bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen against other medicines
Source: FDA drug label (TICE BCG), Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, effective February 20, 2026 (SPL set c9b74876-e665-442b-87ad-b7333bc9a67a), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 1,767 reports that list bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 70 are coded as a death and 262 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?
- Bacillus calmette-guerin substrain tice live antigen side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other