Betamethasone Dipropionate USP, 0.05% .5 mg/g Ointment
🆔 Identity & classification
Where does this data come from?
🏷️ RxNorm drug class
This medicine belongs to the Corticosteroid class.
Where does this data come from?
🏭 Manufacturer & labeler
Where does this data come from?
🩺 Clinical
Betamethasone topical is used to treat the itching, redness, dryness, crusting, scaling, inflammation, and discomfort of various skin conditions, including psoriasis (a skin disease in which red, scaly patches form on some areas of the body) and eczema (a skin disease that causes the skin to be dry and itchy and to sometimes develop red, scaly rashes). Betamethasone is in a class of medications called corticosteroids. It works by activating natural substances in the skin to reduce swelling, redness, and itching.
Read the full MedlinePlus article ↗- Betamethasone is a steroid cream (or ointment, gel, spray, or foam) that treats skin conditions where inflammation is the problem — things like eczema, psoriasis, and other conditi...
- What skin conditions does betamethasone treat?
- For creams and ointments, apply a thin layer to the affected area once or twice a day — less is more with these products. For the spray (like Sernivo), shake it well first, spray o...
- That depends on the product. Most creams and ointments should be used for no more than 2 consecutive weeks. The spray forms — including Sernivo — are approved for up to 4 weeks. Yo...
Patient education
Supplement & herbal interactions
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🧪 Inactive Ingredients / Excipients
Inactive ingredients, also called excipients, are components of the drug product other than the active ingredient. They may include fillers, dyes, coatings, preservatives, flavors, or other formulation ingredients.
💡 Tap an ingredient (hover on desktop) to see what it is and why it’s used.
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Mineral oil is a clear, odorless liquid derived from crude oil. It acts as a lubricant and emollient in medications, helping pills slide smoothly during manufacturing and aiding moisture retention in topical products.
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Petrolatum is a purified mineral oil-based jelly derived from petroleum. In medicines, it acts as an emollient, lubricant, and moisture barrier to soften skin, reduce friction, and help prevent water loss from formulations.
2 inactive ingredients listed in the exact product block matched to this NDC.
Where does this data come from?
ingredient classCode="IACT" elements from the exact product block matched by this NDC. Label-section narrative from DailyMed / the openFDA label index is shown separately when available.Inactive ingredient FAQ
Are inactive ingredients the same for every manufacturer?
Why might an inactive ingredient be missing?
Can inactive ingredients matter?
💲 Pricing
A drug doesn't have one price. Each row is a different public payment system, and none is what you'd pay at the counter — that depends on your insurance. The ⓘ on each row explains what it measures.
| Price system | Per g | Per package |
|---|---|---|
| Retail pharmacies payNADAC · weekly | $0.360 | $16.20 / 45 g |
| Medicaid paysCMS SDUD · 12 mo | $0.7373 | $33.18 / 45 g |
| Medicare drug plans payPart D · Q2 2026 | $1.11 | $49.99 / 45 g |
Where does this data come from?
🔁 Therapeutic equivalents
| Product | Labeler | Pack | NADAC/unit | TE | Status | Price vs. this |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betamethasone Dipropionate USP, 0.05% .5 mg/gthis 52817-0824-45 | TruPharma | 1 tube | $0.360 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| Betamethasone Dipropionate .5 mg/g 00168-0056-15 | E. | 1 tube | $0.495 | AB | Discontinued | +37% |
| Betamethasone Dipropionate .5 mg/g 00472-0381-15 | Actavis | 1 tube | $0.495 | AB | Availability likely | +37% |
| Betamethasone Dipropionate .5 mg/g 45802-0505-14 | Padagis | 1 tube | $0.495 | AB | Availability likely | +37% |
| betamethasone dipropionate .5 mg/g 72578-0093-01 | Viona | 1 tube | $0.495 | AB | Availability likely | +37% |
| Betamethasone Dipropionate .5 mg/g 50090-0236-00 | A-S | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Betamethasone Dipropionate .5 mg/g 63629-9323-01 | Bryant | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Betamethasone Dipropionate .5 mg/g 63629-9324-01 | Bryant | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| betamethasone dipropionate .5 mg/g 70771-1550-01 | Zydus | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Betamethasone Dipropionate .5 mg/g 71335-2715-01 | Bryant | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Betamethasone Dipropionate .5 mg/g 72162-1415-02 | Bryant | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
Where does this data come from?
⏳ Availability & generic status
This product is an FDA-approved generic. Other versions of the same drug are listed under Therapeutic equivalents, least expensive first.
Where does this data come from?
🗺️ Medicaid utilization & spend
💊 Medicaid utilization by pack size
🔬 Reported adverse events (FAERS)
Top reported reactions
Reporter sex
Serious outcomes
Where does this data come from?
📦 Packaging — all sizes for this product
| Package NDC | Description | Per unit | Per pack | Marketing start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52817-0824-15 | 1 TUBE in 1 CARTON (52817-824-15) / 15 g in 1 TUBE | $0.4949 / g | $7.42 | 2022-02-18 | Active |
| 52817-0824-45 You're viewing this | 1 TUBE in 1 CARTON (52817-824-45) / 45 g in 1 TUBE | $0.3599 / g | $16.20 | 2022-02-18 | Active |
This pack has the lowest per-g cost of the 2 priced pack sizes ($0.3599 NADAC).
In Medicaid, this is the most-dispensed pack of this product — about 54% of fills over the last four reported quarters. See all packs ↓
Pack size FAQ
What quantity is in NDC 52817-0824-45?
What NDC number is used to bill for this package of Betamethasone Dipropionate USP, 0.05% .5 mg/g Ointment?
Prices are the latest CMS NADAC pharmacy acquisition cost per NDC; per-pack figures are per-unit × pack quantity, shown only when the pack is denominated in the same measure NADAC prices.
📄 Full prescribing information FDA SPL
🎯 Indications and Usage ▾
INDICATIONS AND USAGE Topical corticosteroids are indicated for the relief of the inflammatory and pruritic manifestations of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses.
⏱️ Dosage and Administration ▾
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Apply a thin film of betamethasone dipropionate ointment to the affected skin areas once daily. In some cases, twice daily dosage may be necessary. If an infection develops, appropriate antimicrobial therapy should be instituted. Betamethasone dipropionate ointment should not be used with occlusive dressings.
⛔ Contraindications ▾
CONTRAINDICATIONS Topical corticosteroids are contraindicated in those patients with a history of hypersensitivity to any of the components of the preparation.
🤒 Adverse Reactions ▾
ADVERSE REACTIONS The following local adverse reactions are reported infrequently when betamethasone dipropionate ointment is used as recommended in the DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION section. These reactions are listed in an approximate decreasing order of occurrence: burning, itching, irritation, dryness, folliculitis, hypertrichosis, acneiform eruptions, hypopigmentation, perioral dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, maceration of the skin, secondary infections, skin atrophy, striae and miliaria. Systemic absorption of topical corticosteroids has produced reversible hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis suppression, manifestations of Cushing's syndrome, hyperglycemia and glucosuria in some patients.
🤰 Pregnancy ▾
PREGNANCY Corticosteroids are generally teratogenic in laboratory animals when administered systemically at relatively low dosage levels. The more potent corticosteroids have been shown to be teratogenic after dermal application in laboratory animals. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women on teratogenic effects from topically applied corticosteroids.
Therefore, topical corticosteroids should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Drugs of this class should not be used extensively on pregnant patients, in large amounts, or for prolonged periods of time.
🧒 Pediatric Use ▾
PEDIATRIC USE Pediatric patients may demonstrate greater susceptibility to topical corticosteroid- induced HPA axis suppression and Cushing's syndrome than mature patients because of a larger skin surface area to body weight ratio. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis suppression, Cushing's syndrome, and intracranial hypertension have been reported in children receiving topical corticosteroids. Manifestations of adrenal suppression in children include linear growth retardation, delayed weight gain, low plasma cortisol levels, and absence of response to ACTH stimulation.
Manifestations of intracranial hypertension include bulging fontanelles, headaches, and bilateral papilledema. Administration of topical corticosteroids to pediatric patients should be limited to the least amount compatible with an effective therapeutic regimen. Chronic corticosteroid therapy may interfere with the growth and development of children.
🆘 Overdosage ▾
OVERDOSAGE Topically applied corticosteroids can be absorbed in sufficient amounts to produce systemic effects (See PRECAUTIONS ).
🧬 Clinical Pharmacology ▾
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Topical corticosteroids share anti-inflammatory, anti-pruritic and vasoconstrictive actions. The mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity of the topical corticosteroids is unclear. Various laboratory methods, including vasoconstrictor assays, are used to compare and predict potencies and/or clinical efficacies of the topical corticosteroids.
There is some evidence to suggest that a recognizable correlation exists between vasoconstrictor potency and therapeutic efficacy in man (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). Pharmacokinetics: The extent of percutaneous absorption of topical corticosteroids is determined by many factors including the vehicle, the integrity of the epidermal barrier, and the use of occlusive dressings. Topical corticosteroids can be absorbed from normal intact skin.
Inflammation and/or other disease processes in the skin increase percutaneous absorption. Occlusive dressings substantially increase the percutaneous absorption of topical corticosteroids (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ). Once absorbed through the skin, topical corticosteroids are handled through pharmacokinetic pathways similar to systemically administered corticosteroids.
Corticosteroids are bound to plasma proteins in varying degrees. Corticosteroids are metabolized primarily in the liver and are then excreted by the kidneys. Some of the topical corticosteroids and their metabolites are also excreted into the bile.
📦 How Supplied / Storage and Handling ▾
HOW SUPPLIED Betamethasone dipropionate ointment USP, 0.05% is supplied as follows: 15 g tubes NDC 52817-824-15 45 g tubes NDC 52817-824-45 Store at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F); excursions permitted between 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Protect from light and freezing.
📋 Description ▾
DESCRIPTION Betamethasone dipropionate ointment contains betamethasone dipropionate USP, a synthetic adrenocorticosteroid, for dermatologic use. Betamethasone, an analog of prednisolone, has a high degree of glucocorticoid activity and a slight degree of mineralocorticoid activity. Betamethasone dipropionate is a white to cream white odorless crystalline powder insoluble in water.
Chemically, it is 9-fluoro-11β,17,21-trihydroxy-16β-methylpregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione 17,21- dipropionate. The structural formula is: Each gram of the 0.05% ointment contains 0.64 mg betamethasone dipropionate (equivalent to 0.5 mg betamethasone) in an ointment base of mineral oil and white petrolatum. chemical-structure
💬 Information for Patients ▾
INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS Patients using topical corticosteroids should receive the following information and instructions: This medication is to be used as directed by the physician. It is for external use only. Avoid contact with the eyes.
Patients should be advised not to use this medication for any disorder other than that for which it was prescribed. The treated skin area should not be bandaged or otherwise covered or wrapped as to be occlusive. Patients should report any signs of local adverse reactions.
Parents of pediatric patients should be advised not to use tight-fitting diapers or plastic pants on a child being treated in the diaper area, as these garments may constitute occlusive dressings (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ).