Medicines labeled for the same conditions
Alternatives to mesalamine
4 other medicines are given the same way (oral) and in the same FDA class as mesalamine or labeled mainly for the same use (crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis); 3 are in its class, aminosalicylates: sulfasalazine, balsalazide and olsalazine; the others include 1 sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulator (FDA labels read October 8, 2026). In the same class, the lowest pharmacy cost is $0.199 per sulfasalazine 500 mg tablet (what pharmacies paid in the NADAC survey; strengths differ).
Which medicines are labeled for the same conditions as mesalamine?
Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis lists all 29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesalamineaminosalicylate | this medicine | 27 labelers | $0.781 per tablet 1.2 g tablet | No | A presentation being discontinued |
| Sulfasalazineaminosalicylate · same class | Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis | 5 labelers | $0.199 per tablet 500 mg tablet | No | No current entry |
| Balsalazideaminosalicylate · same class | Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis | 9 labelers | $0.344 per capsule 750 mg capsule | No | No current entry |
| Olsalazineaminosalicylate · same class | Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis | none listed | $15.70 per capsule 250 mg capsule | No | No current entry |
| Etrasimod argininesphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulator | Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis | none listed | n/a | No | 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?
- Mesalamine: the full record
- label, generics, price, shortages, recalls
- Mesalamine vs sulfasalazine
- two records side by side