Two medicines, side by side
Acetaminophen vs acyclovir
Acetaminophen is labeled for fever, cough and cold and pain; acyclovir for herpes and shingles. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of acetaminophen since 1968 and of acyclovir since 1982. Pharmacies paid $0.0339 per unit (Acetaminophen 500 mg caplet) and $0.0962 per acyclovir 400 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. Only the acetaminophen label carries a boxed warning.
Check it at the source: the acetaminophen FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 13, 2024); the acyclovir FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 24, 2026).
Highlights of the acetaminophen record
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) · label of November 13, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationstemporarily relieves minor aches and pains due to: minor pain of arthritis muscular aches backache premenstrual and menstrual cramps the common cold headache toothache temporarily reduces fever
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 7, 1968
- Generic labelers
- 89 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0339 per unit
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 19
Highlights of the acyclovir record
Acyclovir (Zovirax) · label of July 24, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsHerpes Zoster Infections: Acyclovir tablets are indicated for the acute treatment of herpes zoster (shingles). Genital Herpes: Acyclovir tablets are indicated for the treatment of initial episodes and the management of recurrent episodes of genital herpes. Chickenpox: Acyclovir tablets are indicated for the treatment of chickenpox (varicella).
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- March 29, 1982
- Generic labelers
- 66 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0962 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 12
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Acetaminophen label of November 13, 2024, Acyclovir label of July 24, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do acetaminophen and acyclovir differ on the record?
Only the acetaminophen label carries a boxed warning.
Generics: acetaminophen since 1986; acyclovir since 1997 (Drugs@FDA).
| Acetaminophen | Acyclovir | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Fever, Cough and cold, Pain | Herpes and shingles |
| Pharmacologic class | n/a | Herpes Simplex Virus Nucleoside Analog DNA Polymerase Inhibitor, Herpes Zoster Virus Nucleoside Analog DNA Polymerase Inhibitor, Herpesvirus Nucleoside Analog DNA Polymerase Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | Mean half-life after oral doses of 300 mg/m 2 and 600 mg/m 2 in pediatric patients aged 7 months to 7 years was 2.6 hours (range 1.59 to 3.74 hours). |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | November 7, 1968 | March 29, 1982 |
| First generic approved | December 1, 1986 | April 22, 1997 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 89 labelers | 66 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0339 per unit (Acetaminophen 500 mg caplet) | $0.0962 per tablet (Acyclovir 400 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | +5% | +5% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 19 | 12 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 445,075 | 114,717 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
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 acetaminophen
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions