Medicines labeled for the same conditions
Alternatives to lithium
5 other medicines are given the same way (oral) and in the same FDA class as lithium or labeled mainly for the same use (bipolar disorder); 3 are in its class, mood stabilizers: lamotrigine, divalproex and carbamazepine; the others include 2 atypical antipsychotics (FDA labels read October 8, 2026). In the same class, the lowest pharmacy cost is $0.0268 per lamotrigine 25 mg tablet (what pharmacies paid in the NADAC survey; strengths differ).
Which medicines are labeled for the same conditions as lithium?
Bipolar disorder lists all 17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lithiummood stabilizer | this medicine | 24 labelers | $0.104 per capsule 300 mg capsule | Yes | No current entry |
| Lamotriginemood stabilizer · same class | Bipolar disorder | 50 labelers | $0.0268 per tablet 25 mg tablet | Yes | A presentation being discontinued |
| Divalproexmood stabilizer · same class | Bipolar disorder | 44 labelers | $0.194 per tablet 500 mg tablet | Yes | No current entry |
| Carbamazepinemood stabilizer · same class | Bipolar disorder | 42 labelers | $0.119 per tablet 200 mg tablet | Yes | A presentation being discontinued |
| Risperidoneatypical antipsychotic | Bipolar disorder | 35 labelers | $0.0368 per tablet 0.25 mg tablet | Yes | No current entry |
| Ziprasidoneatypical antipsychotic | Bipolar disorder | 16 labelers | $0.269 per capsule 20 mg capsule | 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?
- Lithium: the full record
- label, generics, price, shortages, recalls
- Lamotrigine vs lithium
- two records side by side
- Divalproex vs lithium
- two records side by side
- Carbamazepine vs lithium
- two records side by side
- Lithium vs risperidone
- two records side by side