Prescription medicine
Nitrofurantoin Brand names: Macrobid; first approved as Furadantin
Nitrofurantoin (Macrobid) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1953. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 47 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $0.165 per nitrofurantoin mcr 50 mg capsule in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
- A presentation discontinued
Check it at the source: the nitrofurantoin FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 24, 2026); the NDA 8693 record on Drugs@FDA; every nitrofurantoin label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of June 24, 2026; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageNitrofurantoin capsules (monohydrate/macrocrystals) are indicated only for the treatment of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections (acute cystitis) caused by susceptible strains of Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus saprophyticus.
Forms and strengths
- 25 mg
- 50 mg
- 100 mg
- 25 mg / 75 mg
- 25 mg/5ml
- 50 mg/5ml
- 75 mg / 25 mg
Capsule; suspension; for suspension.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 6, 1953 Furadantin, Procter And Gamble; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 13 first September 30, 1970; 8 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 50 of which 47 under generic applications, 7 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $0.165 per capsule Nitrofurantoin mcr 50 mg capsule
- Shortage (FDA)
- None current 1 past records
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- 13 since 2015 0 Class I among all firms' recalls; latest December 4, 2024
- FAERS reports
- 22,755 through July 30, 2026
What is nitrofurantoin used for?
From the label: indications and usageNitrofurantoin capsules (monohydrate/macrocrystals) are indicated only for the treatment of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections (acute cystitis) caused by susceptible strains of Escherichia coli or Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Nitrofurantoin is not indicated for the treatment of pyelonephritis or perinephric abscesses. To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of nitrofurantoin capsules (monohydrate/macrocrystals) and other antibacterial drugs, nitrofurantoin capsules (monohydrate/macrocrystals) should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. […]
Conditions named in the indications of nitrofurantoin's FDA labels, with every medicine labeled for each:
From other nitrofurantoin labelsUrinary tract infections: INDICATIONS AND USAGE Nitrofurantoin capsules (monohydrate/macrocrystals) are indicated only for the treatment of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections (acute cystitis) caused by susceptible strains of Escherichia coli or …
Bacterial infections: Nitrofurantoin is indicated in adults and pediatric patients 1 month of age and older for the treatment of urinary tract infections due to susceptible strains of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus species, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella …
FDA pharmacologic class: Nitrofuran Antibacterial.
Source: FDA drug label (Nitrofurantoin Monohydrate/ Macrocrystalline), REMEDYREPACK INC., effective June 24, 2026 (SPL set a4afd48b-003f-4ffa-9ca0-9432b8b0e22b), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for nitrofurantoin (Macrobid)?
The FDA approved the first generic nitrofurantoin on September 30, 1970. 13 generic applications are approved; 8 of them carry 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 nitrofurantoin from 47 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application and from 7 brand labelers. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
- 1953 earliest approval on file
- 1970 first generic approved
- red ticks recalls
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for nitrofurantoin (Macrobid)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.165 per Nitrofurantoin mcr 50 mg capsule, down 12% from $0.187 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.
- Nitrofurantoin mcr 50 mg capsule (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrofurantoin 25 mg/5 mL suspension | Generic | $1.69 per mL | n/a | -41% |
| Nitrofurantoin mcr 100 mg capsule | Generic | $0.233 per capsule | $6.98 | -0.6% |
| Nitrofurantoin mcr 25 mg capsule | Generic | $1.54 per capsule | $46.18 | -7% |
| Nitrofurantoin mcr 50 mg capsule | Generic | $0.165 per capsule | $4.95 | -12% |
| Nitrofurantoin mono-mcr 100 mg | Generic | $0.296 per unit | n/a | -10% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
Is nitrofurantoin in shortage?
No nitrofurantoin presentation is listed as in shortage in the FDA Drug Shortage Database (read October 8, 2026); its 1 record is all marked to be discontinued, the latest updated April 10, 2026. ASHP keeps a separate shortage list, which can differ.
| Presentation | Company | Status | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrofurantoin, Oral Suspension, 25 mg/5 mL (NDC 69238-2512-9) | Amneal Pharmaceuticals | To Be Discontinued | April 10, 2026 |
Every nitrofurantoin presentation in the FDA shortage database
Source: FDA Drug Shortage Database via openFDA, updated October 8, 2026
Has nitrofurantoin been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 13 recalls naming nitrofurantoin since 2015: 0 Class I (the most serious), 8 Class II, 5 Class III; 1 still ongoing. A recall names products and lots, not every product of the medicine.
| Started | Class | Company | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 4, 2024 | Class II | AvKARE | Failed Dissolution Specifications |
| July 9, 2024 | Class II | SUN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES INC | Failed Dissolution Specifications |
| May 3, 2022 | Class III | American Health Packaging | Failed Dissolution Specifications: Nitrofurantoin Capsules recalled due to dissolution failure at 0-time of the repackaged lot. … |
| January 7, 2021 | Class II | American Health Packaging | Failed Dissolution Specifications |
| July 24, 2019 | Class II | Alvogen, Inc | Failed dissolution specifications |
| December 21, 2018 | Class II | LUPIN SOMERSET | Subpotent Drug: Expansion of June 2018 recall of lots S700065 and S700619 due to below specification results for assay. |
| November 9, 2018 | Class III | AMERICAN HEALTH PACKAGING | Cross contamination with other products: This sub-recall is being initiated in support of the recall by the manufacturer (Sandoz) dated 11/1/18, which included … |
| November 7, 2018 | Class III | RemedyRepack Inc. | Cross contamination with other products: Product is being recalled due to the potential presence of unrelated ingredients (Benazepril, Haloperidol and … |
Source: FDA Enforcement Report (drug recalls) via openFDA, through October 8, 2026
What does the nitrofurantoin label say about other medicines?
The nitrofurantoin label names 1 other medicine in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The labels of 14 other medicines name nitrofurantoin. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Probenecid | drug interactions | Uricosuric drugs, such as probenecid and sulfinpyrazone, can inhibit renal tubular secretion of nitrofurantoin. |
Other labels that name nitrofurantoin
Source: FDA drug label (Nitrofurantoin Monohydrate/ Macrocrystalline), REMEDYREPACK INC., effective June 24, 2026 (SPL set a4afd48b-003f-4ffa-9ca0-9432b8b0e22b), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for nitrofurantoin?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 22,755 reports that list nitrofurantoin among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 1,406 are coded as a death and 7,731 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.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What else is labeled for the same conditions as nitrofurantoin?
18 other medicines are given the same way (oral) and in the same FDA class as nitrofurantoin or labeled mainly for the same use (urinary tract infections), the same class first. Urinary tract infections lists all 39 medicines labeled for it, by any route. The first 8 are below. They are listed as records, not as substitutes: whether one can replace another is a prescriber's decision.
| Medicine | Shared indication | Generic labelers (oral) | Pharmacy cost | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doxycycline | Bacterial infections, Urinary tract infections | 71 labelers | $0.118 per tablet 100 mg tablet | A presentation being discontinued |
| Amoxicillin and clavulanate | Bacterial infections, Urinary tract infections | 31 labelers | $0.0693 per mL 600-42.9 mg/5 mL sus | No current entry |
| Cephalexin | Bacterial infections, Urinary tract infections | 36 labelers | $0.120 per capsule 500 mg capsule | No current entry |
| Minocycline | Urinary tract infections | 21 labelers | $0.343 per capsule 100 mg capsule | No current entry |
| Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim | Bacterial infections, Urinary tract infections | 42 labelers | $0.0448 per tablet Sulfamethoxazole-tmp ds tablet | No current entry |
| Levofloxacin | Bacterial infections, Urinary tract infections | 35 labelers | $0.259 per tablet 750 mg tablet | No current entry |
| Cefuroxime | Bacterial infections, Urinary tract infections | 17 labelers | $0.280 per tablet 250 mg tablet | No current entry |
| Cefadroxil | Bacterial infections, Urinary tract infections | 19 labelers | $0.269 per capsule 500 mg capsule | No current entry |
Every medicine labeled for the same conditions as nitrofurantoin
Source: FDA drug labels (indications), NDC Directory, NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages (October 8, 2026)
How does nitrofurantoin compare with medicines for the same use?
16 side-by-side pages set nitrofurantoin beside a medicine whose label shares a use: approvals, generics, pharmacy cost, warnings and supply.
What next?
- Alternatives to nitrofurantoin
- 18 medicines for the same use
- Nitrofurantoin side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Nitrofurantoin shortage record
- every presentation, company and date
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other