Antibiotics kill bacteria or stop them multiplying, and they are grouped by how they do it — penicillins and cephalosporins break down the bacterial cell wall, macrolides block protein synthesis, glycopeptides such as vancomycin are held in reserve for resistant organisms like MRSA. Choosing the right one depends on the likely bacterium, the site of infection and local resistance patterns, which is why they are not interchangeable.
Class descriptions are written by the Priya Life Science editorial team. Individual drug pages combine that summary with live label, approval, manufacturer and shortage data from the U.S. FDA via the openFDA API. This page is general information and is not medical advice — it is not exhaustive, drugs within a class are not automatically interchangeable, and approvals and brand names differ between the US, EU/Ireland (EMA/HPRA) and other regions. Always consult the official prescribing information and your clinician or pharmacist. Related: Drug Shortages Tracker · FDA Approvals · All drug comparisons