Prescription medicine
Barium sulfate Brand names: Varibar, Readi-Cat, E-Z-Paque, E-Z-Disk, Entero; first approved as E-Z-Cat Dry
Barium sulfate (Readi-Cat) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 2016. No generic is listed in FDA's NDC Directory.
- No generic listed
Check it at the source: the barium sulfate FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 15, 2026, E-Z-EM Canada Inc); the NDA 208036 record on Drugs@FDA; every barium sulfate label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of April 15, 2026; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageREADI-CAT 2 and READI-CAT 2 SMOOTHIES are indicated for use in computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen to delineate the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in adult and pediatric patients.
Forms and strengths
- 700 mg
- 0.6 g/ml
- 0.81 g/g
- 20 mg/ml
- 240 mg/ml
- 400 mg/ml
- 960 mg/g
- 980 mg/g
Suspension; powder for suspension; tablet; paste.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- January 11, 2016 E-Z-Cat Dry, Bracco; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- No generic approved
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 2 of which 0 under generic applications, 2 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- Not in the survey
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- 3 since 2013 0 Class I among all firms' recalls; latest April 13, 2022; 1 more by firms not listed as its makers
- FAERS reports
- 434 through July 30, 2026
What is barium sulfate used for?
From the label: indications and usageREADI-CAT 2 and READI-CAT 2 SMOOTHIES are indicated for use in computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen to delineate the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in adult and pediatric patients. READI-CAT 2 and READI-CAT 2 SMOOTHIE are radiographic contrast agents, indicated for use in computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen to delineate the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in adult and pediatric patients
FDA pharmacologic class: Radiographic Contrast Agent.
Source: FDA drug label (Readi-Cat 2 Berry Smoothie), NDA208143 (Bracco), as published by E-Z-EM Canada Inc, effective April 15, 2026 (SPL set d2d293d5-dcc9-0d3f-58ed-686ef0132d7c), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for barium sulfate (Readi-Cat)?
No generic barium sulfate is approved (Drugs@FDA, October 8, 2026).
- 2016 earliest approval on file
- red ticks recalls
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
Has barium sulfate been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 4 recalls naming barium sulfate since 2013: 0 Class I (the most serious), 2 Class II, 2 Class III; 0 still ongoing. 1 of them is by a firm that FDA's NDC Directory does not list as a maker of barium sulfate and that holds 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 13, 2022 | Class II | Mckesson Medical-Surgical Inc. Corporate Office | cGMP deviations: Temperature abuse |
| March 8, 2018 | Class II | Bracco Diagnostics Inc. not a listed maker | Failed stability specifications: Out-of-specification (OOS) result for a preservative assay - methylparaben - during stability testing of one lot. |
| July 2, 2014 | Class III | Bracco Diagnostic Inc | Subpotent Drug: Low out of specification results for both pH and assay obtained during routine stability testing after 36 months. |
| July 19, 2013 | Class III | Bracco Diagnostics Inc | Failed Stability Specifications: Tagitol V Barium Sulfate Lot #65846 sampled at 10 months exhibited results above the upper specification for viscosity. |
Source: FDA Enforcement Report (drug recalls) via openFDA, through October 8, 2026
What do FAERS reports show for barium sulfate?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 434 reports that list barium sulfate among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 31 are coded as a death and 125 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.
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What next?
- Other radiographic contrast agents
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Barium sulfate side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other