NDC Lookup Tool
Search any NDC code or drug name to find manufacturer details, active ingredients, dosage forms, and all package variants. Powered by the FDA's openFDA database.
NDC Lookup Tool
Search by NDC code or drug name. Powered by openFDA.
Enter an NDC code to see drug details, manufacturer info, active ingredients, and all package variants. Or search by drug name to find all associated NDC codes.
The NDC 5-4-2 Format
Every NDC code in the United States follows an 11-digit structure split into three segments. The FDA assigns the first segment; the manufacturer assigns the rest.
Labeler Code
Identifies the manufacturer, repackager, or distributor of the drug. Assigned by the FDA. For example, 00071 is Pfizer and 00002 is Eli Lilly.
Product Code
Identifies the specific drug formulation - the active ingredient, strength, and dosage form. Assigned by the labeler. Different strengths of the same drug have different product codes.
Package Code
Identifies the package size and type (bottle of 30, bottle of 100, unit-dose blister pack, etc.). The same drug at the same strength can have multiple package codes.
10-Digit vs 11-Digit NDC Codes
While the official FDA format is 5-4-2 (11 digits), many systems display NDC codes as 10 digits using a 4-4-2, 5-3-2, or 5-4-1 format. This happens because the FDA originally allowed flexible formatting.
To convert a 10-digit NDC to 11 digits, add a leading zero to the segment that is one digit short:
- 4-4-2 → add zero to labeler: 01234-5678-90
- 5-3-2 → add zero to product: 12345-0678-90
- 5-4-1 → add zero to package: 12345-6789-00
This inconsistency is another source of billing mismatches - two systems may store the same NDC with different leading zeros, causing false negatives in reconciliation.
NDC Swap Examples
NDC swaps are the #1 source of phantom billing discrepancies in independent pharmacies. Here are three real-world scenarios:
Lisinopril 10mg Tablets
Manufacturer changeYour wholesaler switches from Lupin (NDC 68180-0514-01) to Solco Healthcare (NDC 43547-0351-10). Same drug, same strength, same form - but completely different NDC codes across all three segments because different manufacturers have different labeler codes.
Billing impact: Billing records show one NDC, purchasing records show another. Manual reconciliation flags this as a mismatch when it's actually the same drug.
Metformin 500mg ER Tablets
Generic manufacturer competitionMetformin 500mg ER has over 20 different NDC codes from manufacturers including Amneal, Aurobindo, Granules, Heritage, Mylan, Sun, Teva, and others. Each time the wholesaler sources from a different manufacturer (often based on availability or price), the NDC changes.
Billing impact: A pharmacy filling 200 metformin prescriptions per month may see 3-5 different NDCs in their purchase records for the same drug, creating phantom variances in reconciliation.
Omeprazole 20mg Capsules
Package size changeEven from the same manufacturer, switching from 100-count bottles (NDC xxxxx-xxxx-01) to 1000-count bottles (NDC xxxxx-xxxx-10) changes the package code. If billing is matched at the full 11-digit NDC level, these appear as different products.
Billing impact: Reports show a shortage of the 100-count and a surplus of the 1000-count, when the total quantity is correct.
Why NDC Codes Matter for Pharmacy Revenue
Every pharmacy billing claim includes an NDC code. Every purchase order includes an NDC code. When these codes don't match - even when the actual drug is identical - it creates a discrepancy.
For a typical independent pharmacy processing 3,000+ prescriptions per month, NDC swaps generate dozens of phantom mismatches that obscure real billing errors. This is why manual reconciliation using spreadsheets and VLOOKUP misses 2-5% of prescription revenue in legitimate discrepancies - they're buried under hundreds of false positives from NDC swaps.
How RxDelta Solves NDC Swaps
RxDelta uses NDC family mapping to group all NDC codes for the same drug (same active ingredient, strength, and dosage form) regardless of manufacturer. Instead of matching on the raw 11-digit NDC, RxDelta normalizes codes to identify therapeutically equivalent products. This means:
- Manufacturer changes are automatically detected and excluded from variance reports
- Package size differences are normalized so quantity comparisons are accurate
- 10-digit and 11-digit format variations are handled automatically
- Only true discrepancies are flagged - real revenue leaks that need attention
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an NDC code?
An NDC (National Drug Code) is a unique 10 or 11-digit identifier assigned to every drug product sold in the United States. It follows a 5-4-2 format: 5 digits for the labeler (manufacturer), 4 digits for the product (drug, strength, formulation), and 2 digits for the package (size and type). NDC codes are regulated by the FDA and are used in pharmacy billing, inventory management, and insurance claims processing.
What is the NDC 5-4-2 format?
The NDC 5-4-2 format is the standard 11-digit structure for National Drug Codes. The first 5 digits are the labeler code (manufacturer or distributor, assigned by the FDA). The next 4 digits are the product code (specific drug, strength, and dosage form, assigned by the labeler). The final 2 digits are the package code (package size and type). Example: 00071-0156-40 where 00071 is Pfizer, 0156 is a specific drug product, and 40 is the package configuration.
What is an NDC swap?
An NDC swap occurs when the same medication appears under different NDC codes in a pharmacy's billing and purchasing records. This typically happens when a wholesaler substitutes a product from a different manufacturer - for example, switching from Lupin's generic lisinopril to Solco Healthcare's generic lisinopril. Both are the same drug at the same strength, but they have completely different NDC codes because different manufacturers have different labeler codes. NDC swaps are a major source of phantom discrepancies in pharmacy reconciliation.
Why do NDC codes cause pharmacy billing errors?
NDC codes cause billing errors because the same medication can have dozens of different NDC codes from different manufacturers. When a pharmacy bills an insurer using one manufacturer's NDC but purchases the drug from a different manufacturer, the NDC codes don't match - even though the drug is identical. Manual reconciliation using spreadsheets cannot reliably detect these swaps across thousands of line items, leading to phantom shortages and surpluses that mask real billing discrepancies.
How many NDC codes exist for a single drug?
A common generic drug can have 20 to 50+ different NDC codes. For example, metformin 500mg extended-release tablets are manufactured by over 20 different companies (Amneal, Aurobindo, Mylan, Teva, Sun, etc.), each with their own labeler code. Multiply this by different package sizes (30-count, 90-count, 100-count, 500-count, 1000-count) and a single drug strength can easily have 40+ unique NDC codes.
How does RxDelta handle NDC swaps?
RxDelta uses NDC family mapping to group all NDC codes for the same drug (same active ingredient, strength, and dosage form) regardless of manufacturer. When comparing billing claims against purchase orders, RxDelta recognizes that different NDC codes may represent the same medication and flags only true discrepancies - not manufacturer substitutions. This eliminates the phantom shortages and surpluses that make manual reconciliation unreliable.
Related Resources
Detect NDC Swaps Automatically
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