What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Ibuprofen and indomethacin
Ibuprofen's FDA label (Caldolor) of January 29, 2026 names indomethacin in its drug interactions section; indomethacin's label does not name ibuprofen itself but warns about its class (NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)).
Check it at the source: the ibuprofen FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 1, 2026, Savings Distributors LLC); the indomethacin FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 19, 2025, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA).
What does the ibuprofen label say about indomethacin?
Caldolor label (Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc., January 29, 2026), drug interactionsNSAIDs with short elimination half-lives (e.g., diclofenac, indomethacin) should be avoided for a period of two days before, the day of, and two days following administration of pemetrexed.
Source: FDA drug label (Caldolor, NDA022348), Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective January 29, 2026 (SPL set 1eaa7790-f1a1-4f51-b10a-cbbaf033f684), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Motrin IB), NDA019012 (Kenvue Brands), as published by Savings Distributors LLC, effective January 1, 2026 (SPL set 56846774-8413-c306-e063-6394a90a2be8), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the indomethacin label say about ibuprofen?
Indomethacin's label does not name ibuprofen itself; it warns about its class (NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)):
Indomethacin label, boxed warningGastrointestinal Bleeding, Ulceration, and Perforation NSAIDs cause an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal.
Indomethacin label, boxed warningThis risk may occur early in treatment and may increase with duration of use ( 5.1 ) INDOCIN is contraindicated in the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery ( 4 , 5.1 ) NSAIDs cause an increased risk of serious gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach or intestines, which can be fatal.
Source: FDA drug label (Indomethacin), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA, effective December 19, 2025 (SPL set f7ed39e2-5431-4e47-935c-c7441d058f94), 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
| Ibuprofen | Indomethacin | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Fever, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Pain, Cough and cold | Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $0.0573 per tablet 800 mg tablet | $0.210 per capsule 75 mg capsule |
| Shortage now | No current entry | 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