Prescription medication · Macrolide Antibiotic
clarithromycin
Also sold as Biaxin. Clarithromycin treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 33,247
- FDA reportsModerately reported
- 81
- InteractionsMany interactions
- $0.92
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
clarithromycin (Biaxin) is a prescription Macrolide Antibiotic, reported at a middle-of-the-pack volume (33,247 FDA reports), with 81 documented drug interactions.
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.
clarithromycin (Biaxin) is a prescription Macrolide Antibiotic. Clarithromycin treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria.
Clarithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacterial infections. It belongs to a class of drugs called macrolides.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.92/unit
Generic Available
Yes (9 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Clarithromycin treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria.
Common side effects
Abdominal pain, Diarrhea, Nausea
Key warnings
Clarithromycin can cause severe allergic reactions.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from clarithromycin's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Clarithromycin works by stopping the growth of bacteria. It prevents bacteria from making proteins they need to survive. This helps your body fight off the infection.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 33,247 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for clarithromycin, by number of reports
- Drug Interaction
Drug Interaction
2,906 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
2,214 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
1,959 reports
- Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea
1,937 reports
- Malaise
Malaise
1,650 reports
- Pyrexia
Pyrexia
1,631 reports
- Headache
Headache
1,518 reports
- Vomiting
Vomiting
1,476 reports
- Rash
Rash
1,250 reports
- Pneumonia
Pneumonia
1,228 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 clarithromycin 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 clarithromycin sits
clarithromycin has more FDA adverse-event reports than 66% 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 clarithromycin; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 33,247 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 1999–2025.
Total Reports
33,247
Reports Mentioning Death
2,888
8.7% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
13,190
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRUG INTERACTION | 2,906 |
| 3 | NAUSEA | 2,214 |
| 4 | DYSPNOEA | 1,959 |
| 5 | DIARRHOEA | 1,937 |
| 6 | MALAISE | 1,650 |
| 7 | PYREXIA | 1,631 |
| 9 | HEADACHE | 1,518 |
| 10 | VOMITING | 1,476 |
| 11 | RASH | 1,250 |
| 12 | PNEUMONIA | 1,228 |
| 13 | DIZZINESS | 1,168 |
| 14 | FATIGUE | 1,146 |
| 15 | ABDOMINAL PAIN | 1,015 |
| 16 | ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 994 |
| 17 | PAIN | 985 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Clarithromycin can cause severe allergic reactions. Stop taking it and get medical help right away if you have signs of a reaction. This medicine can also cause heart rhythm problems (QT prolongation) and liver problems. Tell your doctor if you have heart or liver issues. Clarithromycin may increase the risk of death in patients with coronary artery disease.
Known Drug Interactions
Colchicine (in patients with normal renal and hepatic function) Use With Caution Antipsychotics: Pimozide Contraindicated Pimozide: [See Contraindications ( 4.2 )] Quetiapine Lurasidone Quetiapine: Quetiapine is a substrate for CYP3A4, which is inhibited by clarithromycin. Co‑administration with clarithromycin could result in increased quetiapine exposure and possible quetiapine related toxicities. Refer to quetiapine prescribing information for recommendations on dose reduction if co‑administered with CYP3A4 inhibitors such as clarithromycin.
Mechanism: Clarithromycin stops your body from breaking down quetiapine, which can cause the drug to build up to toxic levels.
Gastroprokinetic Agents: Cisapride Contraindicated Cisapride: [See Contraindications ( 4.2 )] Lipid-lowering agents: Lomitapide Lovastatin Simvastatin Contraindicated Lomitapide, Lovastatin, Simvastatin: Clarithromycin may increase the exposure of these drugs by inhibition of CYP3A metabolism, thereby increasing the risk of toxicities from these drugs [see Contraindications ( 4.5 ) and Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Atorvastatin, Pravastatin, Fluvastatin: [See Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Atorvastatin Pravastatin Use With Caution Fluvastatin No Dose Adjustment Hypoglycemic Agents:...
Mechanism: Clarithromycin can interfere with how your body handles certain diabetes drugs, which may increase the risk of your blood sugar falling too low.
Fluconazole No Dose Adjustment Fluconazole: [see Pharmacokinetics ( 12.3 )] Anti-Gout Agents: Colchicine (in patients with renal or hepatic impairment) Contraindicated Colchicine: Colchicine is a substrate for both CYP3A and the efflux transporter, P-glycoprotein (Pgp).
Mechanism: These two drugs do not significantly affect each other's levels in the body.
Gastroprokinetic Agents: Cisapride Contraindicated Cisapride: [See Contraindications ( 4.2 )] Lipid-lowering agents: Lomitapide Lovastatin Simvastatin Contraindicated Lomitapide, Lovastatin, Simvastatin: Clarithromycin may increase the exposure of these drugs by inhibition of CYP3A metabolism, thereby increasing the risk of toxicities from these drugs [see Contraindications ( 4.5 ) and Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Atorvastatin, Pravastatin, Fluvastatin: [See Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Atorvastatin Pravastatin Use With Caution Fluvastatin No Dose Adjustment Hypoglycemic Agents:...
Mechanism: Clarithromycin blocks the liver enzyme that breaks down cyclosporine, which causes the drug to build up in your body.
Colchicine (in patients with normal renal and hepatic function) Use With Caution Antipsychotics: Pimozide Contraindicated Pimozide: [See Contraindications ( 4.2 )] Quetiapine Lurasidone Quetiapine: Quetiapine is a substrate for CYP3A4, which is inhibited by clarithromycin. Lurasidone: [See Contraindications ( 4.7 )] Antispasmodics: Tolterodine (patients deficient in CYP2D6 activity) Use With Caution Tolterodine: The primary route of metabolism for tolterodine is via CYP2D6.
Mechanism: Clarithromycin stops the body from clearing lurasidone by blocking a specific enzyme, which can lead to toxic levels of the medication.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I take clarithromycin if I'm allergic to penicillin?
Can I drink alcohol while taking clarithromycin?
Will clarithromycin interact with my other medications?
How long does it take for clarithromycin to start working?
What should I do if I get diarrhea while taking clarithromycin?
Can clarithromycin cause a yeast infection?
Is it okay to stop taking clarithromycin when I feel better?
Does clarithromycin cause sun sensitivity?
What if I have kidney problems?
Can clarithromycin affect my heart?
What are the common side effects of clarithromycin?
Does clarithromycin interact with other medications?
What drug class is clarithromycin?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for clarithromycin?
Related Medications in Macrolide Antibiotic
Other drugs grouped near clarithromycin - same-class peers and common alternatives.
amikacin
Amikin
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine.
Compare with clarithromycin →
amoxicillin
Amoxil
Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium is a combination medicine used to fight bacterial infections.
Compare with clarithromycin →
amoxicillin/clavulanate
Augmentin
Augmentin is a combination of two medicines, amoxicillin and clavulanate.
Compare with clarithromycin →
ampicillin/sulbactam
Unasyn
Unasyn is a combination of two antibiotics that fights bacteria in your body.
Compare with clarithromycin →
azithromycin
Zithromax, Z-Pack
Azithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria.
Compare with clarithromycin →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for clarithromycin: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 33,247.
- tapentadol Δ 193 reports · Opioid / Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor 33,054reports
- candesartan Δ 230 reports · Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB) 33,477reports
- telmisartan Δ 364 reports · Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB) 33,611reports
- diltiazem Δ 373 reports · Calcium Channel Blocker 33,620reports
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 8.69%.
- primidone Δ 0.00 pts · 9,782 reports · Anticonvulsant (Barbiturate) 8.69%death share
- sulfasalazine Δ 0.00 pts · 76,270 reports · Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD) 8.69%death share
- finasteride Δ 0.01 pts · 56,567 reports · 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor 8.68%death share
- artificial tears Δ 0.03 pts · 2,450 reports · Ocular Lubricant 8.65%death share
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
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for clarithromycin
The FDA label for clarithromycin (sold under brand names such as Biaxin) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Macrolide Antibiotic class. Clarithromycin treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria. Official labeling lists 5 commonly reported side effects, including Abdominal pain, Diarrhea, Nausea.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 33,247 voluntary reports. The database also lists 81 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.92.
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 are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
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. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: October 15, 2025
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
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 from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
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