Does prednisone contain wheat or gluten as an excipient?

We cross-check each prednisone product label against four data sources: DailyMed (FDA Structured Product Labels), the European Medicines Agency centrally-authorised medicines database, the Plogsted curated gluten-free drug list, and the 2024 Mangione et al. pediatric pharmacy NDC analysis. Inactive ingredients are scanned against a 146-entry red-flag dictionary covering wheat, barley, rye, malt, source-ambiguous starches, and FDA gluten-free attestation phrases. Of 16 product labels we cross-checked, 2 list a gluten-derived ingredient outright. Generics from different manufacturers can differ — check which manufacturer's version your pharmacy dispensed before assuming any fill is safe.

Can different manufacturers' generic versions of prednisone have different gluten status?

Yes. Generics in the United States must use the same active ingredient as the brand, but they are not required to use the same inactive ingredients. Two generics of prednisone from different manufacturers can use entirely different starch sources, binders, and fillers. A pharmacy may also switch which manufacturer it dispenses between fills without notifying you. Each manufacturer-specific entry below corresponds to a separately-filed product label.

DailyMed checked live · reference data updated August 19, 2026 · 16 product labels screened

Is prednisone gluten-free?

By Ned Walsch

Founder and maintainer of Gluten Screen

Updated October 13, 2026

Not clinically reviewed — verify with your pharmacist

Some formulations contain gluten. Of 16 product labels we cross-checked, 2 list a gluten-derived ingredient outright. Generics from different manufacturers can differ — check which manufacturer's version your pharmacy dispensed before assuming any fill is safe.

Drug context

About prednisone

Prednisone is a corticosteroid used for inflammation, autoimmune disease, and asthma exacerbations, sold under brand names including Deltasone, Rayos.

Why this matters

Different manufacturers, different ingredients

Generics of prednisone use the same active ingredient, but they aren't required to use the same inactive ingredients. Your pharmacy may switch which manufacturer they dispense between fills, sometimes without telling you. The list below shows each manufacturer's product label as a separate entry, because that's the granularity that actually matters when you're celiac.

The labels

The 16 we checked

01

Westward Pharmaceutical (Hikma) contains gluten

Mangione 2024 · prednisone 10 mg tablet [Westward Pharmaceutical (Hikma)] · label dated 2025-06-09

Gluten on the label: Manufacturer-declared gluten content (Matson et al. 2025 (peer-reviewed): the manufacturer of this NDC confirmed that the product contains gluten.)
View source label →
02

Westward Pharmaceutical (Hikma) contains gluten

Mangione 2024 · prednisone 20 mg tablet [Westward Pharmaceutical (Hikma)] · label dated 2025-06-09

Gluten on the label: Manufacturer-declared gluten content (Matson et al. 2025 (peer-reviewed): the manufacturer of this NDC confirmed that the product contains gluten.)
View source label →
03

NuCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. worth a call to confirm

US label (DailyMed) · PREDNISONE TABLET [NUCARE PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.] · label dated Sep 18, 2026

Worth a call to the maker: SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A

Inactive ingredients D&C YELLOW NO. 10 ALUMINUM LAKE · FD&C YELLOW NO. 6 · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE 101 · SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A · STARCH, CORN
View source label →
04

Actavis worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Prednisone tablets all strengths [Actavis] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
05

Par worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Prednisone tablets all strengths [Par] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
06

West-ward worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Prednisone tablets all strengths [West-ward] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
07

Watson worth a call to confirm

Plogsted list · Prednisone tablets all strengths [Watson] · label dated 2019-04-23
View source label →
08

Coupler LLC nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · PREDNISONE TABLET [COUPLER LLC] · label dated Oct 08, 2026

Inactive ingredients LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A POTATO · STARCH, CORN
View source label →
09

Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · PREDNISONE TABLET [MYLAN PHARMACEUTICALS INC.] · label dated Oct 01, 2026

Inactive ingredients ANHYDROUS LACTOSE · D&C YELLOW NO. 10 · FD&C YELLOW NO. 6 · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE 101 · SILICON DIOXIDE · SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A POTATO · TALC
View source label →
10

Atlantic Biologicals Corps nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · PREDNISONE SOLUTION [ATLANTIC BIOLOGICALS CORPS] · label dated Sep 30, 2026

Inactive ingredients ALCOHOL · CITRIC ACID MONOHYDRATE · EDETATE DISODIUM · FRUCTOSE · HYDROCHLORIC ACID · MALTOL · PEPPERMINT OIL · POLYSORBATE 80 · PROPYLENE GLYCOL · SACCHARIN SODIUM · SODIUM BENZOATE · WATER
View source label →
11

Dr. Reddys Laboratories Inc. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · PREDNISONE DELAYED RELEASE (PREDNISONE) TABLET, DELAYED RELEASE [DR. REDDYS LABORATORIE… · label dated Sep 28, 2026

Inactive ingredients CROSCARMELLOSE SODIUM · FERRIC OXIDE RED · FERRIC OXIDE YELLOW · GLYCERYL DIBEHENATE · LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · POVIDONE, UNSPECIFIED · SILICON DIOXIDE · WATER
View source label →
12

A-S Medication Solutions nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · PREDNISONE TABLET [A-S MEDICATION SOLUTIONS] · label dated Oct 08, 2026

Inactive ingredients LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A POTATO · STARCH, CORN
View source label →
13

American Health Packaging nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · PREDNISONE TABLET [AMERICAN HEALTH PACKAGING] · label dated Oct 01, 2026

Inactive ingredients LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE · SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A POTATO · STARCH, CORN
View source label →
14

Bryant Ranch Prepack nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · PREDNISONE TABLET [BRYANT RANCH PREPACK] · label dated Sep 10, 2026

Inactive ingredients LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · SILICON DIOXIDE · SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A POTATO · STARCH, CORN
View source label →
15

REMEDYREPACK INC. nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · PREDNISONE TABLET [REMEDYREPACK INC.] · label dated Sep 10, 2026

Inactive ingredients LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE 102 · SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A POTATO · STARCH, CORN
View source label →
16

Major Pharmaceuticals nothing flagged on the label

US label (DailyMed) · PREDNISONE TABLET [MAJOR PHARMACEUTICALS] · label dated Sep 07, 2026

Inactive ingredients LACTOSE MONOHYDRATE · MAGNESIUM STEARATE · SILICON DIOXIDE · SODIUM STARCH GLYCOLATE TYPE A POTATO · STARCH, CORN
View source label →

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Background

What “gluten in a medication” actually means

Gluten enters drugs through their excipients — the inactive ingredients used to bind, coat, fill, or stabilize the dose. The main concern is wheat starch as a filler. Source-ambiguous starches (plain “starch”, pregelatinized starch, sodium starch glycolate, modified starch) get flagged for verification because their botanical origin isn't always disclosed on the label.

The 2024 Mangione et al. pediatric NDC analysis (689 NDCs across the top 100 pediatric medications) found 1.5% contained gluten outright; another 25.7% couldn't be confirmed either way. Liquid and oral-suspension formulations carry disproportionate risk because wheat starch is a common thickener. Full methodology →

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