What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Paclitaxel and thalidomide
Thalidomide's FDA label of March 24, 2023 names paclitaxel in its drug interactions section; the paclitaxel labels PlainMeds reads (4) do not name thalidomide.
Check it at the source: the paclitaxel FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 21, 2026, Natco Pharma USA LLC); the thalidomide FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 24, 2023, Celgene Corporation).
What does the paclitaxel label say about thalidomide?
Paclitaxel's label (effective January 21, 2026) and its 3 other brand-application labels do not name thalidomide in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.
Source: FDA drug label (Paclitaxel), Natco Pharma USA LLC, effective January 21, 2026 (SPL set a1eb16b4-285b-4e81-9c4e-1244d4a52af8), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the thalidomide label say about paclitaxel?
Thalidomide label, drug interactionsDrugs which Cause Peripheral Neuropathy The use of drugs which cause peripheral neuropathy (e.g., bortezomib, amiodarone, cisplatin, docetaxel, paclitaxel, vincristine, disulfiram, phenytoin, metronidazole, alcohol) can cause an additive effect and should be used with caution.
Source: FDA drug label (Thalomid), NDA020785 (Bristol-Myers), as published by Celgene Corporation, effective March 24, 2023 (SPL set 2eda833b-1357-4ed4-a093-194524fcb061), 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
| Paclitaxel | Thalidomide | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Breast cancer, Lung cancer | Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | n/a | n/a |
| 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