What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Isotretinoin and norethindrone
Isotretinoin's FDA label of August 19, 2026 names norethindrone in its drug interactions section; the norethindrone labels PlainMeds reads (2) do not name isotretinoin. The isotretinoin label: “In a trial of 31 premenopausal female patients with severe recalcitrant nodular acne receiving norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol as an oral contraceptive agent, isotretinoin capsules within the recommended dosage, did …”
Check it at the source: the isotretinoin FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 19, 2026, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc.); the norethindrone FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 31, 2026, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA).
What does the isotretinoin label say about norethindrone?
Isotretinoin label, drug interactionsCapsules did not result in clinically significant changes in the pharmacokinetics of norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol when used concomitantly with a norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol oral contraceptive [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )].
Isotretinoin label (Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., January 10, 2024), drug interactionsIn a trial of 31 premenopausal female patients with severe recalcitrant nodular acne receiving norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol as an oral contraceptive agent, isotretinoin capsules within the recommended dosage, did not induce clinically relevant changes in the pharmacokinetics of ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone and in the serum levels of progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).
Source: FDA drug label (Isotretinoin, NDA021951), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., effective January 10, 2024 (SPL set b44200ba-6672-4ea7-b151-7caec3f53c9c), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Absorica LD), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., effective August 19, 2026 (SPL set 3ef0cff8-19c1-4441-b780-fca6c7ee1615), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the norethindrone label say about isotretinoin?
Norethindrone's label (effective January 31, 2026) and its 1 other brand-application label do not name isotretinoin in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.
Source: FDA drug label (Norethindrone), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA, effective January 31, 2026 (SPL set 0d2f8fea-3675-40d2-afd9-9fcb148dbd4b), 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
| Isotretinoin | Norethindrone | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Acne | Birth control |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $11.94 per capsule 10 mg capsule | $0.290 per tablet 5 mg tablet |
| 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