“IP” on a pill is a manufacturer’s imprint identifying the tablet as made by Amneal Pharmaceuticals (formerly known as Impax Laboratories). The “IP” followed by a number is a code that identifies the exact medication, its active ingredients, and its dosage strength. Every solid pill sold in the United States is required by the FDA to carry a unique imprint like this so the drug can be identified even outside its original packaging.
Why Pills Have Imprint Codes
Federal regulations under 21 CFR Part 206 require that every solid oral medication be clearly marked with a code that, combined with the pill’s size, shape, and color, allows unique identification of the drug and its manufacturer. The imprint must make it possible to determine the active ingredients and dosage strength. This rule exists so that a loose pill found in a bag, dropped on the floor, or separated from its bottle can still be identified accurately.
A small number of exceptions exist: pills used in clinical trials, compounded medications mixed by a pharmacist for an individual patient, and drugs whose physical characteristics make imprinting impossible. Everything else you’d pick up from a pharmacy carries an imprint.
Who Makes IP Pills
The “IP” code traces back to Impax Laboratories, a generic drug company that merged with Amneal Pharmaceuticals in 2018. Amneal is one of the larger generic pharmaceutical manufacturers in the U.S., with a catalog of over 760 products spanning pain relievers, blood thinners, thyroid medications, antibiotics, anti-anxiety drugs, and many other categories. If you see “IP” on a pill, it simply tells you Amneal manufactured that particular generic version of the medication.
Common IP Pill Codes
The number after “IP” identifies the specific drug and strength. Here are some of the most frequently searched IP imprints:
- IP 109: A white, capsule-shaped tablet containing acetaminophen 325 mg and hydrocodone 5 mg, a prescription opioid pain reliever.
- IP 110: A white, oblong tablet containing acetaminophen 325 mg and hydrocodone 10 mg, a higher-strength version of the same opioid combination.
- IP 204: A white, capsule-shaped tablet containing acetaminophen 325 mg and oxycodone 10 mg, another prescription opioid pain reliever classified as a Schedule II controlled substance.
- IP 465: A white, oval tablet containing 600 mg of ibuprofen, a prescription-strength anti-inflammatory pain reliever.
The same “IP” prefix appears on dozens of other medications, from thyroid hormone replacements to blood pressure drugs to anti-seizure medications. The letters alone don’t tell you what the drug is. You need the full code, including the number, to identify the pill.
How to Verify an IP Pill
If you have a pill marked “IP” and want to confirm what it is, write down the complete imprint (letters and numbers), the pill’s color, its shape, and whether it has a score line dividing it in half. Then use one of these resources:
- Drugs.com Pill Identifier: A free online tool that lets you search by imprint, color, and shape. It draws from multiple professional drug databases.
- FDA Division of Drug Information: You can email the FDA’s drug evaluation center with a description of the pill and they will identify it for you.
- Poison Control (1-800-222-1222): Available 24/7 for free, confidential pill identification. This is the best option if you’re concerned someone may have taken an unknown medication.
Online pill identifiers are reliable for pills made by legitimate manufacturers, but they can’t verify whether a pill is counterfeit. Counterfeit pills sometimes copy real imprint codes while containing completely different (and potentially dangerous) substances. If a pill didn’t come from a licensed pharmacy, an online lookup of the imprint won’t guarantee what’s actually inside it.
IP vs. Other Common Imprints
Different manufacturers use different letter codes. “M” typically indicates Mylan (now part of Viatris), “TEVA” appears on pills from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and “Watson” or “ANDA” codes identify other generic makers. These imprints all serve the same purpose: linking the physical pill back to a specific product and company. None of these letters indicate anything about the drug’s strength, class, or whether it requires a prescription. That information comes from the full imprint code and the pill’s physical characteristics together.