Prescription medication · Third-Generation Cephalosporin
cefdinir
Also sold as Omnicef. Cefdinir treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 7,348
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 1
- InteractionFew interactions
- $0.11
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
cefdinir (Omnicef) is a prescription Third-Generation Cephalosporin, reported less often than most tracked drugs (7,348 FDA reports), with 1 documented drug interaction.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
cefdinir (Omnicef) is a prescription Third-Generation Cephalosporin. Cefdinir treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria.
Cefdinir is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body. It is used to treat different types of infections.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.11/unit
Generic Available
Yes (9 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Cefdinir treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria.
Common side effects
Diarrhea, Vaginal yeast infection (in women), Nausea
Key warnings
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to cephalosporin antibiotics.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from cefdinir's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Cefdinir belongs to a class of drugs called cephalosporins. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This helps your body fight off the infection.
How to Take It
Take cefdinir exactly as your doctor tells you. You can take it with or without food. For children, the total daily dose is 14 mg/kg, up to 600 mg per day. Some infections are treated once a day, others twice a day.
This is a plain-language summary of cefdinir's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if cefdinir will harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking cefdinir while breastfeeding.
This is a plain-language summary of cefdinir's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of cefdinir's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store the dry powder at room temperature. After mixing, keep the liquid medicine at room temperature and use it within 10 days.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 7,348 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for cefdinir, by number of reports
- Diarrhea
Diarrhea
508 reports
- Long-term kidney disease
Long-term kidney disease
485 reports
- Pneumonia/Lung infection
Pneumonia/Lung infection
466 reports
- Tiredness
Tiredness
441 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
381 reports
- Pain
Pain
368 reports
- Kidney failure
Kidney failure
361 reports
- Sinus infection
Sinus infection
349 reports
- Sudden kidney damage
Sudden kidney damage
324 reports
- Headache
Headache
315 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for cefdinir each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where cefdinir sits
cefdinir has more FDA adverse-event reports than 32% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is cefdinir; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 7,348 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2003–2025.
Total Reports
7,348
Reports Mentioning Death
571
7.8% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
2,379
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DIARRHOEA | 508 |
| 2 | CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE | 485 |
| 3 | PNEUMONIA | 466 |
| 4 | FATIGUE | 442 |
| 5 | NAUSEA | 382 |
| 6 | PAIN | 367 |
| 7 | RENAL FAILURE | 360 |
| 8 | SINUSITIS | 349 |
| 9 | ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 324 |
| 10 | HEADACHE | 315 |
| 11 | DYSPNOEA | 314 |
| 12 | URINARY TRACT INFECTION | 288 |
| 13 | DEATH | 286 |
| 14 | PYREXIA | 279 |
| 16 | RASH | 272 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to cephalosporin antibiotics.
Known Drug Interactions
Probenecid As with other β-lactam antibiotics, probenecid inhibits the renal excretion of cefdinir, resulting in an approximate doubling in AUC, a 54% increase in peak cefdinir plasma levels, and a 50% prolongation in the apparent elimination t ½ .
Mechanism: Probenecid blocks your kidneys from getting rid of cefdinir, which can double the amount of the antibiotic that stays in your body.
What to do: Your doctor may need to adjust your treatment because this combination makes the antibiotic stay in your system much longer than normal.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
Can I take cefdinir with food?
How long should I take cefdinir?
What should I do if I have diarrhea while taking cefdinir?
Can cefdinir interact with other medications?
What if my stools are reddish in color?
Can I stop taking cefdinir if I feel better?
What if I am allergic to penicillin?
How should I dispose of unused cefdinir?
What if I think the medicine is not working?
Can I drink alcohol while taking cefdinir?
What are the common side effects of cefdinir?
Does cefdinir interact with other medications?
What drug class is cefdinir?
Is cefdinir safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in Third-Generation Cephalosporin
Other drugs grouped near cefdinir - same-class peers and common alternatives.
amikacin
Amikin
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine.
Compare with cefdinir →
amoxicillin
Amoxil
Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium is a combination medicine used to fight bacterial infections.
Compare with cefdinir →
amoxicillin/clavulanate
Augmentin
Augmentin is a combination of two medicines, amoxicillin and clavulanate.
Compare with cefdinir →
ampicillin/sulbactam
Unasyn
Unasyn is a combination of two antibiotics that fights bacteria in your body.
Compare with cefdinir →
azithromycin
Zithromax, Z-Pack
Azithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria.
Compare with cefdinir →
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for cefdinir
The FDA label for cefdinir (sold under brand names such as Omnicef) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Third-Generation Cephalosporin class. Cefdinir treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Diarrhea, Vaginal yeast infection (in women), Nausea.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 7,348 voluntary reports. The database also lists 1 documented drug interaction derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.11.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: February 14, 2024
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages