U.S. flag An official website of the United States government

On Oct. 1, 2024, the FDA began implementing a reorganization impacting many parts of the agency. We are in the process of updating FDA.gov content to reflect these changes.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  1. Home
  2. Drugs
  3. Resources | Drugs
  4. Information for Consumers and Patients | Drugs
  5. Frequently Asked Questions on Popular Topics
  6. How do I find out if a drug is approved? Is there a Web site I can go to?
  1. Frequently Asked Questions on Popular Topics

How do I find out if a drug is approved? Is there a Web site I can go to?

To find out if a drug is approved by FDA, consumers can use two different Internet sites: 

  • Drugs@FDA lists most prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drug products approved since 1939. Drugs@FDA helps consumers find generic equivalents and other possible appropriate alternatives to their approved products as well as the product’s drug label. FDA updates this list every day. 
  • The FDA "Orange Book" contains drugs approved by FDA under New Drug Applications (NDAs) and Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs). This site is regularly updated and shows the date of the most current update at the top of the page. 

If consumers would like more information, they can call 301-827-4573 or 888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332). Questions can also be submitted by e-mail to druginfo@fda.hhs.gov.

Back to Top