Efavirenz and Clarithromycin Interaction

Drug interaction information between Efavirenz and Clarithromycin.

Efavirenz and Clarithromycin have a documented moderate interaction in FDA labeling.

FDA drug labeling documents a moderate-severity interaction between Efavirenz and Clarithromycin. This page displays the available source-record category and label text. The category is not an individual risk estimate or medication-combination direction.

Drug A

Efavirenz

NNRTI / NRTI Combination

Drug B

Clarithromycin

Macrolide Antibiotic

How They Interact

This combination can change how the antibiotic is processed and may cause a dangerous heart rhythm problem.

FDA Label Information

Anti-infective: Clarithromycin ↓ clarithromycin * ↑ 14-OH metabolite * Consider alternatives to macrolide antibiotics because of the risk of QT interval prolongation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What SPL severity band is on file for Efavirenz/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir + Clarithromycin?

Compiled FDA labeling labels this pair moderate. That is a source-record field, not an individual medication-combination decision.

Which drug in this pair has the larger labeled-interaction portfolio?

Clarithromycin has 81 labeled pairs on file vs Efavirenz's 32. In the moderate band specifically: Efavirenz has 3 (also Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir, Posaconazole); Clarithromycin has 35 (also Omeprazole, Methylprednisolone, Sildenafil, Valproate).

What mechanism field is on file for Efavirenz/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir and Clarithromycin?

This combination can change how the antibiotic is processed and may cause a dangerous heart rhythm problem.

Clarithromycin carries more major-labeled pairs than Efavirenz

SPL source-record counts only. This page's band is moderate · classes on file: Efavirenz (NNRTI / NRTI Combination); Clarithromycin (Macrolide Antibiotic).

Clarithromycin has 16 major-labeled pairs vs Efavirenz's 0. This page itself is in the moderate band, not the major band.

Efavirenz

0 major · 3 moderate · 29 minor · 32 total

Clarithromycin

16 major · 35 moderate · 30 minor · 81 total

Sources: FDA Drug Labels (SPL) via openFDA (2026). This is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. This registry does not provide individual medication-combination directions.