Prescription medicine
Malathion Brand names: Ovide
Malathion (Ovide) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1982. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 1 generic labeler, and pharmacies paid $3.19 per mL (Malathion 0.5% lotion) in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
Check it at the source: the malathion FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 15, 2026, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.); the NDA 18613 record on Drugs@FDA; every malathion label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of July 15, 2026; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageOVIDE Lotion is indicated for patients infected with Pediculus humanus capitis (head lice and their ova) of the scalp hair.
Forms and strengths
- 0.0005 g/ml
Lotion.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- August 2, 1982 Ovide, Taro; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 2 first March 6, 2009; 1 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 1 of which 1 under generic applications, 0 under brand applications, repackagers included
- Last listed patent
- February 1, 2027 Ovide lotion; not a generic launch date
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $3.19 per mL Malathion 0.5% lotion
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- No recall recorded
- FAERS reports
- 100 through July 30, 2026
What is malathion used for?
From the label: indications and usageOVIDE Lotion is indicated for patients infected with Pediculus humanus capitis (head lice and their ova) of the scalp hair.
FDA pharmacologic class: Cholinesterase Inhibitor.
Source: FDA drug label (Ovide), ANDA091559 (Cohance Lifesciences), as published by Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., effective July 15, 2026 (SPL set 945f46fa-4b79-49fd-a890-477f251e2164), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for malathion (Ovide)?
The FDA approved the first generic malathion on March 6, 2009. 2 generic applications are approved; 1 of them carries a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale.
FDA's NDC Directory lists malathion from 1 labeler under a generic (ANDA) application. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
The Orange Book lists 2 patents for Ovide lotion: the compound patent runs to February 1, 2027. A patent or exclusivity date is not the date a generic goes on sale: court cases and settlements move it either way.
- 1982 earliest approval on file
- 2009 first generic approved
- 2027 last listed patent
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for malathion (Ovide)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $3.19 per mL (Malathion 0.5% lotion), up 4% from $3.05 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.
- Malathion 0.5% lotion (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malathion 0.5% lotion | Generic | $3.19 per mL | n/a | +4% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
What do FAERS reports show for malathion?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 100 reports that list malathion among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 2 are coded as a death and 11 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 cholinesterase inhibitors
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Malathion side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other