Disulfiram Tablets: Antabuse and Current Generic Products
Disulfiram is a prescription medication in the United States. Current DailyMed records identify disulfiram tablets as human prescription drugs.
Disulfiram and Antabuse
Disulfiram is the active ingredient. Antabuse is the brand name historically and commercially associated with disulfiram. DailyMed still contains an Antabuse label for a prescription 250 mg disulfiram tablet, but current product research should also account for generic products because current DailyMed search results list generic disulfiram tablets from several packagers and labelers.
A current Alvogen-source label identifies disulfiram 250 mg tablets under an ANDA. Other DailyMed results identify products from Chartwell RX, Sigmapharm and repackagers. Depending on the product, 250 mg and 500 mg strengths are represented in U.S. labeling. The exact active NDCs and suppliers can change over time.
Prescription status and product identity
A prescription for disulfiram does not by itself identify a brand, manufacturer or package size. Two products can contain the same active ingredient while differing in imprint, inactive ingredients, labeler and NDC. For a refill or price comparison, the pharmacy can identify the product it expects to dispense.
The brand name also should not be used to imply that every current disulfiram tablet is an Antabuse-branded product. In practical pharmacy research, the relevant distinction is active ingredient versus brand versus generic labeler.
What the label says about treatment context
U.S. disulfiram labeling describes its role in the management of selected patients with chronic alcohol use problems and emphasizes that it is not a cure. The label states that disulfiram should never be administered to a patient who is intoxicated or without the patient’s full knowledge. It also describes the potentially serious disulfiram-alcohol reaction.
Those warnings are why disulfiram should not be used as a self-directed treatment regimen. Initiation, dose changes, any alcohol exposure and decisions about whether the medicine is appropriate require medical supervision and review of contraindications and interacting medicines.
Strengths and manufacturer questions
A patient comparing products should verify the prescribed strength and the exact product. Historical and current labeling shows that disulfiram tablets may be marketed in 250 mg and 500 mg strengths, but not every supplier necessarily markets both strengths at the same time. A pharmacy can confirm the NDC and labeler available through its wholesaler.
Price should also be tied to a specific prescription, quantity, NDC, insurance plan and date. A price shown in an older or unrelated listing is not reliable evidence of the amount a patient will pay today.
Pharmacy access questions
Contact the pharmacy to confirm current availability, product identity and coverage for a specific prescription.
Current generic records are more useful than relying on the Antabuse name alone
DailyMed’s current disulfiram search results show several generic product records in addition to the older Antabuse-branded record. For a patient filling a modern prescription, the product actually supplied may therefore be labeled simply “disulfiram” and identified by a generic manufacturer or repackager.
That matters for price and refill comparison. An old Antabuse package image or old brand price is not necessarily representative of the current generic product a pharmacy can obtain. The pharmacy can identify the current NDC, tablet strength and source manufacturer before the prescription is filled.
The alcohol interaction is a product-safety boundary, not a selling point
Disulfiram’s intended pharmacologic effect involves creating an aversive reaction to alcohol, but the labeling makes clear that the reaction can be medically serious. Responsible product research should not market the reaction as a simple deterrent trick or encourage a person to “test” the medicine by drinking alcohol.
Useful product research includes prescription status, current generic identity, strengths, manufacturer context and access questions. Whether disulfiram fits a treatment plan must be determined with a licensed clinician who can review contraindications and patient consent.
Availability should be confirmed against the current source product
Because generic disulfiram has been marketed by different labelers and repackagers, an older NDC can remain visible in search results even when a particular package is no longer the one a pharmacy obtains. The useful verification point is the current source product available through the pharmacy’s wholesaler. Patients can ask for the manufacturer, strength and NDC before pickup if continuity of product matters to them.
For broader patient-facing information, see Medication & Pharmacy Resources.