Medicines labeled for the same conditions
Alternatives to cortisone
16 other medicines are given the same way (oral) and in the same FDA class as cortisone or labeled mainly for the same use (osteoarthritis); 6 are in its class, corticosteroids: prednisone, dexamethasone, hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone and 2 more; the others include 8 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, 1 prostaglandin e1 analog and 1 histamine-2 receptor antagonist (FDA labels read October 8, 2026). In the same class, the lowest pharmacy cost is $0.0643 per prednisone 20 mg tablet (what pharmacies paid in the NADAC survey; strengths differ).
Which medicines are labeled for the same conditions as cortisone?
Osteoarthritis lists all 27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cortisonecorticosteroid | this medicine | 1 labeler | n/a | No | No current entry |
| Prednisonecorticosteroid · same class | Osteoarthritis, Asthma, Allergies, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Herpes and shingles, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma | 46 labelers | $0.0643 per tablet 20 mg tablet | No | No current entry |
| Dexamethasonecorticosteroid · same class | Osteoarthritis, Asthma, Allergies, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Herpes and shingles, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma | 41 labelers | $0.193 per tablet 4 mg tablet | No | In shortage |
| Hydrocortisonecorticosteroid · same class | Osteoarthritis, Asthma, Allergies, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Herpes and shingles, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma | 16 labelers | $0.180 per tablet 10 mg tablet | No | A presentation being discontinued |
| Methylprednisolonecorticosteroid · same class | Osteoarthritis, Allergies, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Herpes and shingles, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma | 24 labelers | $0.121 per tablet 4 mg tablet | No | In shortage |
| Prednisolonecorticosteroid · same class | Osteoarthritis, Asthma, Allergies, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Herpes and shingles, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma | 23 labelers | $0.568 per mL 15 mg/5 mL solution | No | No current entry |
| Budesonidecorticosteroid · same class | Asthma, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis | 14 labelers | $0.498 per capsule 3 mg capsule | No | No current entry |
| Celecoxibnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug | Osteoarthritis | 65 labelers | $0.0762 per capsule 200 mg capsule | Yes | No current entry |
| Meloxicamnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug | Osteoarthritis | 43 labelers | $0.0166 per tablet 7.5 mg tablet | Yes | No current entry |
| Nabumetonenonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug | Osteoarthritis | 28 labelers | $0.128 per tablet 500 mg tablet | Yes | No current entry |
| Diclofenac and misoprostolprostaglandin e1 analog | Osteoarthritis | 10 labelers | $0.665 per tablet 50-0.2 mg tablet | Yes | No current entry |
| Piroxicamnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug | Osteoarthritis | 10 labelers | $0.215 per capsule 20 mg capsule | Yes | No current entry |
| Famotidine and ibuprofenhistamine-2 receptor antagonist | Osteoarthritis | 16 labelers | $0.714 per unit 800-26.6 mg | Yes | No current entry |
| Sulindacnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug | Osteoarthritis | 7 labelers | $0.189 per tablet 150 mg tablet | Yes | No current entry |
| Oxaprozinnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug | Osteoarthritis | 7 labelers | $0.475 per tablet 600 mg tablet | Yes | No current entry |
| Ketoprofennonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug | Osteoarthritis | 5 labelers | $6.46 per capsule 200 mg capsule | Yes | No current entry |
| Tolmetinnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug | Osteoarthritis | 5 labelers | n/a | 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?
- Cortisone: the full record
- label, generics, price, shortages, recalls