Ribavirin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Ribavirin is a nucleoside analog antiviral sold in the U.S. under 4 brand and generic names, for human adenovirus infections, west nile fever and respiratory syncytial virus infections. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Nucleoside Analog Antiviral
- Treats (across its forms)
- Human Adenovirus Infections, West Nile Fever and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Available as
- Capsule · Solution · Powder · Tablet
- Sold as
- 4 products — Rebetol, Ribavirin and Copegus, and others
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $14 for a 30-count supply — not your price
- Boxed warning
- Boxed warning
How Virazole is dosed
From the FDA label for Virazole (application NDA018859). Other ribavirin products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
The recommended treatment regimen is 20 mg/mL Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP as the starting solution in the drug reservoir of the SPAG-2 unit, with continuous aerosol administration for 12-18 hours per day for 3 to 7 days. Using the recommended drug concentration of 20 mg/mL the average aerosol concentration for a 12 hour delivery period would be 190 mcg/L of air. Aerosolized Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP should not be administered in a mixture for combined aerosolization or simultaneously with other aerosolized medications. Non-Mechanically Ventilated Infants Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP should be delivered to an infant oxygen hood from the SPAG ® -2 aerosol generator. Administration by face mask or oxygen tent may be necessary if a hood cannot be employed (see SPAG-2 Instructions for Use). However, the volume and condensation area are larger in a tent and this may alter delivery dynamics of the drug. Mechanically Ventilated Infants The recommended dose and administration schedule for infants who require mechanical ventilation is the same as for those who do not. Either a pressure or volume cycle ventilator may be used in conjunction with the SPAG-2. In either case, patients should have their endotracheal tubes suctioned every 1-2 hours, and their pulmonary pressures monitored frequently (every 2-4 hours). For both pressure and volume ventilators,…
Everything below is the FDA label for Virazole (powder). Ribavirin is also sold as capsule, solution and tablet, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Virazole side effects
The description of adverse reactions is based on events from clinical studies (approximately 200 patients) conducted prior to 1986, and the controlled trial of aerosolized Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP conducted in 1989-1990. Additional data from spontaneous post-marketing reports of adverse events in individual patients have been available since 1986. Deaths Deaths during or shortly after treatment with aerosolized Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP have been reported in 20 cases of patients treated with Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP (12 of these patients were being treated for RSV infections). Several cases have been characterized as "possibly related" to Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP by the treating physician; these were in infants who experienced worsening respiratory status related to bronchospasm while being treated with the drug. Several other cases have been attributed to mechanical ventilator malfunction in which Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP precipitation within the ventilator apparatus led to excessively high pulmonary pressures and diminished oxygenation. In these cases the monitoring procedures described in the current package insert were not employed (see Description of Studies , WARNINGS , and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Pulmonary function significantly deteriorated during aerosolized…
Who shouldn’t take Virazole
Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP is contraindicated in individuals who have shown hypersensitivity to the drug or its components, and in women who are or may become pregnant during exposure to the drug. Ribavirin has demonstrated significant teratogenic and/or embryocidal potential in all animal species in which adequate studies have been conducted (rodents and rabbits). Therefore, although clinical studies have not been performed, it should be assumed that Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP may cause fetal harm in humans. Studies in which the drug has been administered systemically demonstrate that ribavirin is concentrated in the red blood cells and persists for the life of the erythrocyte.
Virazole drug interactions
Clinical studies of interactions of Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP with other drugs commonly used to treat infants with RSV infections, such as digoxin, bronchodilators, other antiviral agents, antibiotics or anti-metabolites, have not been conducted. Interference by Ribavirin for Inhalation Solution, USP with laboratory tests has not been evaluated.
Every ribavirin product we track (4)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70/100 | Prescription | Capsule | Generic | $14 | View → | |
| 2 | 68/100 | Prescription | Solution | Generic | $14 | View → | |
| 3 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Tablet | Generic | $14 | View → | |
| 4 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Solution | Generic | $14 | View → |
What ribavirin pills look like
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
How long ribavirin keeps
No ribavirin label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does ribavirin expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsRibavirin and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for ribavirin: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadRibavirin has not been studied in nursing mothers being treated for hepatitis C infection. However, ribavirin is given directly to infants by inhalation to treat respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. The amount in milk is likely to be lower than the doses received by infants treated with ribavirin for RSV infection.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised August 15, 2025. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about ribavirin
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 67,385 reports naming ribavirin, and the FDA flagged 59% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- fatigue10,160 reports
- anaemia8,751 reports
- nausea7,829 reports
- rash5,588 reports
- headache5,080 reports
- pruritus4,789 reports
- vomiting3,984 reports
- diarrhoea3,933 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean ribavirin caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved August 26, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is Virazole?
Virazole (Ribavirin) is a nucleoside analog antiviral used to treat Human Adenovirus Infections, West Nile Fever, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections, Chronic Hepatitis C.
What kind of drug is ribavirin?
The FDA classifies ribavirin as a nucleoside analog antiviral. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take ribavirin with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run ribavirin against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is ribavirin sold under?
We track 4 ribavirin-containing products in the U.S.: Rebetol, Ribavirin, Copegus and Virazole. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does ribavirin come in?
Across the brands we track, ribavirin is currently marketed as capsule, solution, powder and tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic ribavirin?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic ribavirin product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Ribavirin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/ribavirin
- MLA
- “Ribavirin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/ribavirin.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for ribavirin on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.