Prescription medication · Corticosteroid
prednisone
Also sold as Deltasone, Rayos. Prednisone treats conditions like arthritis, severe allergies, asthma, skin problems, and certain cancers.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 482,856
- FDA reportsHeavily reported
- 9
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $0.04
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
prednisone (Deltasone) is a prescription Corticosteroid, one of the most-reported medications in the FDA FAERS database (482,856 FDA reports), with 9 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.
prednisone (Deltasone) is a prescription Corticosteroid. Prednisone treats conditions like arthritis, severe allergies, asthma, skin problems, and certain cancers.
Prednisone is a steroid medicine that reduces inflammation in the body. It can treat many different conditions.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.04/unit
Generic Available
Yes (25 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
NADAC price trail: PREDNISONE 1 MG TABLET
Same CMS presentation as the headline generic unit price above (4 effective dates). Adjacent % compares consecutive NADAC releases for this description only, not a patient out-of-pocket quote. Latest step: -7.6% vs prior release.
| Effective | NADAC / unit | vs prior | NDCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 17, 2024 | $0.0433/EA | - | 1 |
| September 18, 2024 | $0.0507/EA | +17.2% | 1 |
| October 23, 2024 | $0.0447/EA | -11.9% | 2 |
| December 18, 2024 | $0.0413/EA | -7.6% | 13 |
What it does
Prednisone treats conditions like arthritis, severe allergies, asthma, skin problems, and certain cancers.
Common side effects
Fluid retention, Mood changes, Weight gain
Key warnings
If you take prednisone for a long time, your body may not produce enough of its own natural steroids.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from prednisone's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Prednisone is a corticosteroid that works by decreasing inflammation. It suppresses your immune system, which reduces swelling and other immune responses. This helps control the symptoms of various diseases.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 482,856 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for prednisone, by number of reports
- Fatigue
Fatigue
39,612 reports
- Pain
Pain
36,926 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
33,819 reports
- Arthralgia
Arthralgia
32,404 reports
- Condition Aggravated
Condition Aggravated
27,784 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
27,703 reports
- Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea
27,473 reports
- Headache
Headache
25,770 reports
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
24,414 reports
- Pneumonia
Pneumonia
24,097 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 prednisone 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 prednisone sits
prednisone has more FDA adverse-event reports than 99% 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 prednisone; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 482,856 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 1995–2025.
Total Reports
482,856
Reports Mentioning Death
50,090
10.4% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
166,315
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | FATIGUE | 39,612 |
| 4 | PAIN | 36,926 |
| 5 | DYSPNOEA | 33,819 |
| 6 | ARTHRALGIA | 32,404 |
| 7 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 27,784 |
| 8 | NAUSEA | 27,703 |
| 9 | DIARRHOEA | 27,473 |
| 10 | HEADACHE | 25,770 |
| 11 | RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS | 24,414 |
| 12 | PNEUMONIA | 24,097 |
| 13 | RASH | 22,256 |
| 14 | PYREXIA | 21,127 |
| 15 | MALAISE | 20,286 |
| 16 | COUGH | 18,702 |
| 17 | VOMITING | 18,455 |
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
If you take prednisone for a long time, your body may not produce enough of its own natural steroids. This can make it hard for your body to respond to stress, like during an illness or surgery. You should not stop taking prednisone suddenly, as this can cause serious withdrawal symptoms.
Known Drug Interactions
albuterol, systemic and inhaled mebendazole amoxicillin medroxyprogesterone ampicillin, with or without sulbactam methylprednisolone atenolol metronidazole azithromycin metoprolol caffeine, dietary ingestion nadolol cefaclor nifedipine co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) nizatidine diltiazem norfloxacin dirithromycin ofloxacin enflurane omeprazole famotidine prednisone, prednisolone felodipine ranitidine finasteride rifabutin hydrocortisone roxithromycin isoflurane Sorbitol (purgative doses do not inhibit theophylline absorption) isoniazid sucralfate isradipine terbutaline,...
Mechanism: Prednisone does not change the speed at which theophylline leaves your system.
In a CYP2D6 drug-drug interaction trial, the C max and AUC of dextromethorphan (CYP2D6 substrate) were increased 2.8- and 2.9-fold, respectively, when dextromethorphan was given with abiraterone acetate 1,000 mg daily and prednisone 5 mg twice daily.
Mechanism: Taking these two drugs together can change how your liver processes other common medications, potentially causing those other drugs to build up in your system.
Alternative corticosteroids including beclomethasone, prednisone and prednisolone (for which PK and/or PD are less affected by strong CYP3A inhibitors relative to other steroids) should be considered, particularly for long term use.
Mechanism: Darunavir can interfere with how the body handles many steroids, but prednisone is less affected by this process than other options.
Darunavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, rilpivirine, tenofovir, boceprevir, prednisone, rifabutin, and omeprazole had no clinically significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of dolutegravir.
Mechanism: Prednisone does not change how the body handles dolutegravir.
Prednisone : There was a case report that a liver-transplanted patient treated with prednisone developed acute adrenal cortex insufficiency when a 3 month therapy with fluconazole was discontinued. The discontinuation of fluconazole presumably caused an enhanced CYP3A4 activity which led to increased metabolism of prednisone. Patients on long-term treatment with fluconazole and prednisone should be carefully monitored for adrenal cortex insufficiency when fluconazole is discontinued.
Mechanism: When you stop taking fluconazole, your body starts breaking down prednisone much faster. This can cause your steroid levels to drop too low, which can be dangerous.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can prednisone cure my condition?
Will I gain weight while taking prednisone?
Can I drink alcohol while taking prednisone?
Does prednisone affect my blood sugar?
Can prednisone weaken my bones?
Can I get vaccines while taking prednisone?
Does prednisone cause mood swings?
How long will it take for prednisone to work?
Can I stop taking prednisone suddenly?
What should I do if I have side effects?
What are the common side effects of prednisone?
Does prednisone interact with other medications?
What drug class is prednisone?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for prednisone?
Related Medications in Corticosteroid
Other drugs grouped near prednisone - same-class peers and common alternatives.
abatacept
Orencia
Orencia is a medicine that helps to reduce inflammation.
Compare with prednisone →
acetaminophen
Tylenol
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a medicine that can relieve pain and reduce fever.
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acetaminophen/hydrocodone
Vicodin, Norco
This medicine contains acetaminophen and hydrocodone.
Compare with prednisone →
acetaminophen/oxycodone
Percocet
Percocet is a strong pain medicine.
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adalimumab
Humira
Idacio is a medicine that blocks a protein called TNF.
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Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for prednisone: 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: 482,856.
- aspirin Δ 35,698 reports · Antiplatelet / NSAID 518,554reports
- acetaminophen Δ 65,398 reports · Analgesic / Antipyretic 417,458reports
- dupilumab Δ 71,164 reports · Anti-IL-4/IL-13 Monoclonal Antibody 411,692reports
- methotrexate Δ 72,803 reports · Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (DMARD) 410,053reports
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 10.37%.
- sotalol Δ 0.01 pts · 16,062 reports · Class III Antiarrhythmic / Beta-Blocker 10.37%death share
- chlorzoxazone Δ 0.02 pts · 1,256 reports · Muscle Relaxant 10.35%death share
- nisoldipine Δ 0.05 pts · 1,191 reports · Calcium Channel Blocker 10.33%death share
- labetalol Δ 0.05 pts · 12,726 reports · Alpha/Beta-Blocker 10.33%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 prednisone
The FDA label for prednisone (sold under brand names such as Deltasone, Rayos) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Corticosteroid class. Prednisone treats conditions like arthritis, severe allergies, asthma, skin problems, and certain cancers. Official labeling lists 8 commonly reported side effects, including Fluid retention, Mood changes, Weight gain.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 482,856 voluntary reports. The database also lists 9 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 $0.04.
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: August 31, 2023
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