Medicines labeled for the same conditions
Alternatives to alendronate
4 other medicines are given the same way (oral) and in the same FDA class as alendronate or labeled mainly for the same use (osteoporosis); 2 are in its class, bisphosphonates: risedronate and ibandronate; the others include 2 estrogen agonist/antagonists (FDA labels read October 8, 2026). In the same class, the lowest pharmacy cost is $2.68 per ibandronate sodium 150 mg tablet (what pharmacies paid in the NADAC survey; strengths differ).
Which medicines are labeled for the same conditions as alendronate?
Osteoporosis lists all 16 medicines labeled for it, by any route. Each row shows the conditions both labels name. They are listed as public records, not as substitutes: whether one can replace another depends on the person and is a prescriber's decision.
| Medicine and FDA class | Shared indication | Generic labelers (oral) | Pharmacy cost | Boxed warning | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alendronatebisphosphonate | this medicine | 16 labelers | $0.256 per tablet 70 mg tablet | No | No current entry |
| Risedronatebisphosphonate · same class | Osteoporosis | 8 labelers | $12.91 per tablet 150 mg tablet | No | No current entry |
| Ibandronatebisphosphonate · same class | Osteoporosis | 6 labelers | $2.68 per tablet 150 mg tablet | No | No current entry |
| Raloxifeneestrogen agonist/antagonist | Osteoporosis | 17 labelers | $0.223 per tablet 60 mg tablet | Yes | No current entry |
| Bazedoxifene and estrogens conjugatedestrogen agonist/antagonist | Osteoporosis | none listed | $6.48 per tablet 0.45-20 mg tablet | Yes | No current entry |
Source: FDA drug labels (indications) via openFDA; FDA NDC Directory; CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026; FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for each?
The headline NADAC price per unit of each medicine's most widely listed form; strengths differ, so compare like with like on each record.
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
What next?
- Alendronate: the full record
- label, generics, price, shortages, recalls
- Alendronate vs risedronate
- two records side by side
- Raloxifene vs alendronate
- two records side by side