Prescription and over-the-counter medicine
Permethrin Brand names: Nix, Elimite
Permethrin (Nix) is a prescription and over-the-counter medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1986. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 10 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $0.229 per gram (Permethrin 5% cream) in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
Check it at the source: the permethrin FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 4, 2026, Aurobindo Pharma Limited); the NDA 19435 record on Drugs@FDA; every permethrin label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of March 4, 2026; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usagePermethrin Cream, 5% is indicated for the treatment of infestation with Sarcoptes scabiei (scabies).
Forms and strengths
- 1 g/100ml
- 1 mg/100ml
- 50 mg/g
- 50 mg/100g
Cream; rinse; lotion; kit.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- March 31, 1986 Nix, Glaxosmithkline; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 6 first January 23, 1998; 4 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 13 of which 10 under generic applications, 3 under brand applications, repackagers included; 1 more under the over-the-counter monograph, without an application
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $0.229 per gram Permethrin 5% cream
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- No recall recorded
- FAERS reports
- 1,746 through July 30, 2026
What is permethrin used for?
From the label: indications and usagePermethrin Cream, 5% is indicated for the treatment of infestation with Sarcoptes scabiei (scabies).
FDA pharmacologic class: Pyrethroid.
Source: FDA drug label (PERMETHRIN), Aurobindo Pharma Limited, effective March 4, 2026 (SPL set 0c92aca1-0daa-4b24-9348-f9d42fec478a), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for permethrin (Nix)?
The FDA approved the first generic permethrin on January 23, 1998. 6 generic applications are approved; 4 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 permethrin from 10 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application and from 3 brand labelers. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
- 1986 earliest approval on file
- 1998 first generic approved
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for permethrin (Nix)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.229 per gram (Permethrin 5% cream), down 6% from $0.243 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.
- Permethrin 5% cream (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permethrin 5% cream | Generic | $0.229 per gram | n/a | -6% |
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 permethrin?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 1,746 reports that list permethrin among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 59 are coded as a death and 232 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 next?
- Alternatives to permethrin
- medicines labeled for the same conditions
- Permethrin side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other