Two medicines, side by side
Acamprosate vs methylphenidate
Acamprosate is labeled for alcohol use disorder; methylphenidate for adhd. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of acamprosate since 2004 and of methylphenidate since 1955. Pharmacies paid $0.589 per acamprosate calc DR 333 mg tablet and $0.158 per methylphenidate 10 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. Methylphenidate's other strengths are brand-only: $2.43 per mL (Quillivant XR 25 mg/5 mL suspension). Only the methylphenidate label carries a boxed warning.
Check it at the source: the acamprosate FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 14, 2026); the methylphenidate FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 31, 2026).
Highlights of the acamprosate record
Acamprosate (Campral) · label of July 14, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsAcamprosate calcium is indicated for the maintenance of abstinence from alcohol in patients with alcohol dependence who are abstinent at treatment initiation. Treatment with acamprosate calcium should be part of a comprehensive management program that includes psychosocial support. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- July 29, 2004
- Generic labelers
- 10 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.589 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Highlights of the methylphenidate record
Methylphenidate (Ritalin) · label of July 31, 2026
ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD has a high potential for abuse and misuse, which can lead to the development of a substance use disorder, including addiction. Misuse and abuse of CNS stimulants, including Methylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD, can result in overdose and death [see Overdosage ( 10 )], and this risk is increased with higher doses or unapproved methods of administration, such as snorting or injection.
Used for
From the label: indicationsMethylphenidate HCl Extended-Release Capsules CD is indicated for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in pediatric patients 6 to 15 years of age. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 5, 1955
- Generic labelers
- 31 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.158 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- In shortage
- Recalls
- 55
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Acamprosate label of July 14, 2026, Methylphenidate label of July 31, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do acamprosate and methylphenidate differ on the record?
Only the methylphenidate label carries a boxed warning.
How each works, in its label's words: Acamprosate, “Chronic alcohol exposure is hypothesized to alter the normal balance between neuronal excitation and inhibition.”; Methylphenidate, “Methylphenidate hydrochloride is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant.”
Generics: acamprosate since 2013; methylphenidate since 1977 (Drugs@FDA).
DEA schedule: acamprosate none; methylphenidate CII.
| Acamprosate | Methylphenidate | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Alcohol use disorder | ADHD |
| Pharmacologic class | n/a | Central Nervous System Stimulant |
| How it works (label) | The mechanism of action of acamprosate in maintenance of alcohol abstinence is not completely understood. Chronic alcohol exposure is hypothesized to alter the normal balance between neuronal excitation and inhibition. | Methylphenidate hydrochloride is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. The mode of therapeutic action in ADHD is not known. |
| Half-life (label) | Elimination After oral dosing of 2 x 333 mg of acamprosate calcium, the terminal half-life ranges from approximately 20 to 33 hours. | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | July 29, 2004 | December 5, 1955 |
| First generic approved | July 16, 2013 | December 23, 1977 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 10 labelers | 31 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.589 per tablet (Acamprosate calc DR 333 mg tablet) | $0.158 per tablet (Methylphenidate 10 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -1% | -14% |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | In shortage |
| Recalls recorded | 1 | 55 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 322 | 73,102 |
| DEA schedule | none | CII |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to acamprosate
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions