Over-the-counter medication · Corticosteroid

fluticasone

Also sold as Flonase, Flovent. Fluticasone temporarily relieves symptoms of hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.

Data updated 2026-05-15

46,155
FDA reports
7
InteractionsFew interactions
89% less
Generic vs brandHuge savings
In shortage
FDA status

What the data shows

fluticasone (Flonase) is an over-the-counter Corticosteroid, with 46,155 FDA adverse-event reports on file, whose generic runs roughly half the brand price or less (89% less).

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.

fluticasone (Flonase) is an over-the-counter Corticosteroid. Fluticasone temporarily relieves symptoms of hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.

Fluticasone is a steroid medicine that helps reduce inflammation in your nose. It can help relieve allergy symptoms.

Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →

Drug Shortage Alert

fluticasone is currently listed as to be discontinued by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc..

View all drug shortages →

Drug Pricing (NADAC)

Brand Price

$3.27/unit

Generic Price

$0.37/unit

Generic Savings

89%

Generic Available

Yes (21 manufacturers)

Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →

View Alternatives → Compare with Another Drug →

What it does

Fluticasone temporarily relieves symptoms of hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.

Common side effects

Headache, Fatigue

Key warnings

Children 4 to 11 years of age: The growth rate of some children may be slower while using this product.

The sections below are summarized in plain English from fluticasone's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.

How It Works

Fluticasone is a corticosteroid. It works by reducing inflammation in the nasal passages. This helps to relieve allergy symptoms.

Side Effects (from patient reports)

Based on 46,155 FDA adverse event reports.

Most-reported reactions

Adverse reactions in FAERS for fluticasone, by number of reports

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.

Source FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)

Serious Warnings

Children 4 to 11 years of age: The growth rate of some children may be slower while using this product. Children should use it for the shortest time needed to relieve symptoms. Talk to your child’s doctor if they need to use the spray for longer than two months a year.

Known Drug Interactions

moderate darunavir

betamethasone budesonide ciclesonide fluticasone methylprednisolone mometasone triamcinolone ↑ corticosteroids Co-administration with corticosteroids (all routes of administration) of which exposures are significantly increased by strong CYP3A inhibitors can increase the risk for Cushing's syndrome and adrenal suppression.

Mechanism: Darunavir blocks the body from breaking down fluticasone, which can lead to very high steroid levels in your blood. This can cause serious hormone problems like Cushing's syndrome.

moderate nirmatrelvir/ritonavir

Corticosteroids primarily metabolized by CYP3A betamethasone, budesonide, ciclesonide, dexamethasone, fluticasone, methylprednisolone, mometasone, triamcinolone ↑ corticosteroid Co-administration with corticosteroids (all routes of administration) of which exposures are significantly increased by strong CYP3A inhibitors can increase the risk for Cushing’s syndrome and adrenal suppression.

Mechanism: This medication prevents your body from clearing the steroid fluticasone. This can lead to very high steroid levels, which may cause serious issues with your body's natural hormone production.

minor fluticasone/salmeterol

( 7.4 ) 7.1 Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 3A4 Fluticasone propionate and salmeterol, the individual components of ADVAIR DISKUS, are substrates of CYP3A4. Ritonavir Fluticasone Propionate: A drug interaction trial with fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray in healthy subjects has shown that ritonavir (a strong CYP3A4 inhibitor) can significantly increase plasma fluticasone propionate exposure, resulting in significantly reduced serum cortisol concentrations [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . During postmarketing use, there have been reports of clinically significant drug...

Mechanism: Both of these products contain the same steroid medicine. Taking them together increases the amount of medicine in your body, which can lower your natural hormone levels.

minor fluticasone/umeclidinium/vilanterol

( 7.5 ) 7.1 Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 3A4 Fluticasone furoate and vilanterol are substrates of CYP3A4. Concomitant administration of the strong CYP3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole increases the systemic exposure to fluticasone furoate and vilanterol.

Mechanism: Both of these medications contain the same steroid ingredient. Taking them together increases the total amount of medicine in your body, which can lead to more side effects.

minor fluticasone/vilanterol

( 7.4 ) 7.1 Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 3A4 Fluticasone furoate and vilanterol are both substrates of CYP3A4. Concomitant administration of the strong CYP3A4 inhibitor ketoconazole increases the systemic exposure to fluticasone furoate and vilanterol.

Mechanism: These two medications contain the same active steroid. Using them at the same time can cause the drug levels to build up too high in your system.

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This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.

Common Questions

How often should I use this?
Use this product only once a day.
Can children use this medicine?
Children under 4 years of age should not use this medicine. Children 4 to 11 years old should have an adult supervise use.
How many sprays should I use?
Adults and children 12 years and older: Week 1 - use 2 sprays in each nostril once daily. Week 2 through 6 months - use 1 or 2 sprays in each nostril once daily, as needed. Children 4 to 11 years of age: use 1 spray in each nostril once daily.
What should I do if my child needs to use this for a long time?
Talk to your child’s doctor if your child needs to use the spray for longer than two months a year.
Do I need to do anything special before using the spray?
Yes, read the Quick Start Guide for how to prime the bottle, use the spray, and clean the spray nozzle. Shake gently before each use.
What if this medicine doesn't seem to be working?
After 6 months of daily use, ask your doctor if you can keep using it.
Can I use more than the recommended dose to get better faster?
No, do not use more than directed.
Where should I keep this medicine?
Store this medicine at room temperature, away from moisture and heat.
What if I 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.
Is this safe to use during pregnancy?
It is not known if fluticasone will harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
What are the common side effects of fluticasone?
The registry lists Headache, Fatigue among the most-reported FAERS reaction terms for fluticasone. The compiled record contains 46,155 FDA adverse-event reports. These counts are not an individual symptom assessment.
Does fluticasone interact with other medications?
The registry has 7 documented interaction rows for fluticasone. Notable source-record pairings include darunavir, nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, fluticasone/salmeterol. These rows are not a complete medication review.
What drug class is fluticasone?
fluticasone belongs to the Corticosteroid drug class. It is available over the counter (OTC). Fluticasone temporarily relieves symptoms of hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies.
Is there a generic version of fluticasone?
Yes, generic fluticasone is available from 21 manufacturers. The generic costs $0.37 per unit compared to $3.27 for the brand version, saving approximately 89%. Pricing is based on NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) data from CMS.
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for fluticasone?
The FDA label for fluticasone contains product-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding language. PlainMeds does not apply that source text to an individual.
Has fluticasone been recalled?
There is 1 recall associated with fluticasone products. CGMP Deviations:Suspected potential presence of Burkholderia cepacia complex. Check the recalls section below for full details and affected products.
Is fluticasone currently in shortage?
Yes, fluticasone is currently listed as to be discontinued by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.. Visit the FDA Drug Shortages database for the latest updates.

Active Recalls

Class II February 14, 2024

CGMP Deviations:Suspected potential presence of Burkholderia cepacia complex

Golden State Medical Supply Inc.

Related Medications in Corticosteroid

Other drugs grouped near fluticasone - same-class peers and common alternatives.

azelastine

Astelin, Astepro

Azelastine nasal spray is an antihistamine medicine.

Compare with fluticasone →

budesonide nasal

Rhinocort

Rhinocort is a nasal spray that helps relieve allergy symptoms.

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cetirizine

Zyrtec

Cetirizine (Zyrtec) is an antihistamine medicine.

Compare with fluticasone →

chlorpheniramine

Chlor-Trimeton

Chlorpheniramine is an antihistamine medicine.

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ciclesonide nasal

Omnaris, Zetonna

Omnaris Nasal Spray is a medicine that helps treat allergy symptoms in your nose.

Compare with fluticasone →

Compare fluticasone vs azelastine side-by-side →

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What the FDA Data Shows for fluticasone

The FDA label for fluticasone (sold under brand names such as Flonase, Flovent) classifies it as an over-the-counter product in the Corticosteroid class. Fluticasone temporarily relieves symptoms of hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies. Official labeling lists 2 commonly reported side effects, including Headache, Fatigue.

Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 46,155 voluntary reports. The database also lists 7 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.37 versus $3.27 for the brand - a 89% generic savings.

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 (currently 1 recall record on file), 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). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.

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: February 4, 2026

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