What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Azithromycin and erythromycin
Azithromycin's FDA label of December 4, 2025 names erythromycin in its contraindications section; the erythromycin labels PlainMeds reads (4) do not name azithromycin. The azithromycin label: “Hypersensitivity ZITHROMAX is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to azithromycin, erythromycin, any macrolide or ketolide drug.”
Check it at the source: the azithromycin FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 4, 2025, Bionpharma Inc.); the erythromycin FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 1, 2024, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.).
What does the azithromycin label say about erythromycin?
Azithromycin label, contraindicationsCONTRAINDICATIONS Patients with known hypersensitivity to azithromycin, erythromycin, any macrolide or ketolide drug. ( 4.1 ) Patients with a history of cholestatic jaundice/hepatic dysfunction associated with prior use of azithromycin.
Zithromax label (Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc, July 24, 2026), contraindicationsHypersensitivity ZITHROMAX is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to azithromycin, erythromycin, any macrolide or ketolide drug.
Source: FDA drug label (Zithromax, NDA050711), Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc, effective July 24, 2026 (SPL set db52b91e-79f7-4cc1-9564-f2eee8e31c45), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Zithromax, NDA050733), Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc, effective July 24, 2026 (SPL set 3b631aa1-2d46-40bc-a614-d698301ea4f9), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Azithromycin), Bionpharma Inc., effective December 4, 2025 (SPL set 859bb02c-a4bc-46fa-9fc9-def1219b5dfb), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the erythromycin label say about azithromycin?
Erythromycin's label (effective August 1, 2024) and its 3 other brand-application labels do not name azithromycin in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.
Source: FDA drug label (Erythromycin), Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., effective August 1, 2024 (SPL set 75a0bd5a-d09f-483b-bfd8-f8343b149eb2), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Azithromycin | Erythromycin | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Bacterial infections | Bacterial infections, Acne |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $0.266 per tablet 250 mg tablet | $1.96 per tablet 250 mg tablet |
| Shortage now | A presentation being discontinued | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once