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What the FDA labels say about taking them together

Buspirone and ketoconazole

Buspirone's FDA label of December 22, 2023 names ketoconazole in its drug interactions section; the ketoconazole label PlainMeds reads does not name buspirone. The buspirone label: “Other Inhibitors and Inducers of CYP3A4 Substances that inhibit CYP3A4, such as ketoconazole or ritonavir, may inhibit buspirone metabolism and increase plasma concentrations of buspirone while substances that induce …”

Check it at the source: the buspirone FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 22, 2023, Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc.); the ketoconazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 28, 2026, E. Fougera & Co. a division of Fougera Pharmaceuticals, LLC).

What does the buspirone label say about ketoconazole?

Buspirone label, drug interactions

Other Inhibitors and Inducers of CYP3A4 Substances that inhibit CYP3A4, such as ketoconazole or ritonavir, may inhibit buspirone metabolism and increase plasma concentrations of buspirone while substances that induce CYP3A4, such as dexamethasone or certain anticonvulsants (phenytoin, phenobarbital, carbamazepine), may increase the rate of buspirone metabolism.

Source: FDA drug label (Buspirone Hydrochloride), Unichem Pharmaceuticals (USA), Inc., effective December 22, 2023 (SPL set a6bdf140-075e-445e-a62d-633a4b97f3a8), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed

What does the ketoconazole label say about buspirone?

Ketoconazole's label (effective January 28, 2026) does not name buspirone in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.

Source: FDA drug label (ketoconazole), E. Fougera & Co. a division of Fougera Pharmaceuticals, LLC, effective January 28, 2026 (SPL set cad7c647-34a9-4e4e-83b3-8d78e58f588f), 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

47Buspirone generic labelers
30Ketoconazole generic labelers
BuspironeKetoconazole
Labeled forAnxietyFungal infections
Boxed warningNoNo
Pharmacy cost (NADAC)$0.043 per tablet 15 mg tablet$0.249 per gram 2% cream
Shortage nowNo current entryNo 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?