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What the FDA labels say about taking them together

Clarithromycin and pimozide

Clarithromycin's FDA label of April 9, 2026 names pimozide in its contraindications section, and pimozide's label names clarithromycin too. The clarithromycin label: “Pimozide Contraindicated Pimozide: Quetiapine Quetiapine: Quetiapine is a substrate for CYP3A4, which is inhibited by clarithromycin.”

Check it at the source: the clarithromycin FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 9, 2026, Solaris Pharma Corporation); the pimozide FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 12, 2026, Par Health USA, LLC).

What does the clarithromycin label say about pimozide?

Clarithromycin label, contraindications

CONTRAINDICATIONS Hypersensitivity to clarithromycin or any macrolide drug (4.1) Cisapride and pimozide (4.2) History of cholestatic jaundice/hepatic dysfunction with use of clarithromycin (4.3) Colchicine in renal or hepatic impairment (4.4) Lomitapide, lovastatin, and simvastatin (4.5) Ergot alkaloids (ergotamine or dihydroergotamine) (4.6) Lurasidone

Clarithromycin label, drug interactions

Pimozide Contraindicated Pimozide: [See Contraindications (4.2) ] Quetiapine Quetiapine: Quetiapine is a substrate for CYP3A4, which is inhibited by clarithromycin.

Source: FDA drug label (Clarithromycin), Solaris Pharma Corporation, effective April 9, 2026 (SPL set 4d42821d-ce7a-7d64-e063-6294a90a0875), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed

What does the pimozide label say about clarithromycin?

Pimozide label, contraindications

For these reasons, pimozide is contraindicated in patients receiving the macrolide antibiotics clarithromycin, erythromycin, azithromycin, dirithromycin, and troleandomycin.

Source: FDA drug label (Pimozide), Par Health USA, LLC, effective August 12, 2026 (SPL set 70b079e2-a1f7-4a93-8685-d60a4d7c1280), 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

26Clarithromycin generic labelers
2Pimozide generic labelers
ClarithromycinPimozide
Labeled forBacterial infections, Acid reflux and ulcersn/a
Boxed warningNoNo
Pharmacy cost (NADAC)$0.466 per tablet 500 mg tablet$1.23 per tablet 1 mg tablet
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?