Two medicines, side by side
Alfuzosin vs tadalafil
Alfuzosin and tadalafil are both labeled for enlarged prostate (bph). Drugs@FDA records approvals of alfuzosin since 2003 and of tadalafil since 2003. Pharmacies paid $0.105 per alfuzosin HCl ER 10 mg tablet and $0.167 per tadalafil 20 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, alfuzosin is an alpha-adrenergic blocker and tadalafil a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor.
Check it at the source: the alfuzosin FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 5, 2024); the tadalafil FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 3, 2026).
Highlights of the alfuzosin record
Alfuzosin (Uroxatral) · label of December 5, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsUROXATRAL is indicated for the treatment of signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. UROXATRAL is an alpha adrenergic antagonist, indicated for the treatment of signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. ( 1 ) Important Limitations of Use: UROXATRAL is not indicated for treatment of hypertension. ( 1.1 ) UROXATRAL is not indicated for use in the pediatric population. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- June 12, 2003
- Generic labelers
- 10 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.105 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Highlights of the tadalafil record
Tadalafil (Cialis) · label of June 3, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsCIALIS ® is a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor indicated for the treatment of: erectile dysfunction (ED) ( 1.1 ) the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) ( 1.2 ) ED and the signs and symptoms of BPH (ED/BPH) ( 1.3 ) If CIALIS is used with finasteride to initiate BPH treatment, such use is recommended for up to 26 weeks ( 1.4 ). 1.1 Erectile Dysfunction CIALIS ® is indicated for the treatment […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 21, 2003
- Generic labelers
- 49 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.167 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 12
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Alfuzosin label of December 5, 2024, Tadalafil label of June 3, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do alfuzosin and tadalafil differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, alfuzosin is an alpha-adrenergic blocker and tadalafil a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor.
How each works, in its label's words: Alfuzosin, “Alfuzosin is a selective antagonist of post-synaptic alpha 1 -adrenoreceptors, which are located in the prostate, bladder base, bladder neck, prostatic capsule, and prostatic urethra.”; Tadalafil, “Penile erection during sexual stimulation is caused by increased penile blood flow resulting from the relaxation of penile arteries and corpus cavernosal smooth muscle.”
Half-life, in each label's words: Alfuzosin, “Following oral administration of UROXATRAL 10 mg tablets, the apparent elimination half-life is 10 hours.”; Tadalafil, “Excretion – The mean oral clearance for tadalafil is 2.5 L/hr and the mean terminal half-life is 17.5 hours in healthy …”
Generics: alfuzosin since 2011; tadalafil since 2018 (Drugs@FDA).
| Alfuzosin | Tadalafil | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Enlarged prostate (BPH) | Erectile dysfunction, Enlarged prostate (BPH), Pulmonary arterial hypertension |
| Pharmacologic class | alpha-Adrenergic Blocker | Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | Alfuzosin is a selective antagonist of post-synaptic alpha 1 -adrenoreceptors, which are located in the prostate, bladder base, bladder neck, prostatic capsule, and prostatic urethra. | Penile erection during sexual stimulation is caused by increased penile blood flow resulting from the relaxation of penile arteries and corpus cavernosal smooth muscle. |
| Half-life (label) | Following oral administration of UROXATRAL 10 mg tablets, the apparent elimination half-life is 10 hours. | Excretion – The mean oral clearance for tadalafil is 2.5 L/hr and the mean terminal half-life is 17.5 hours in healthy subjects. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | June 12, 2003 | November 21, 2003 |
| First generic approved | July 18, 2011 | May 22, 2018 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 10 labelers | 49 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.105 per tablet (Alfuzosin HCl ER 10 mg tablet) | $0.167 per tablet (Tadalafil 20 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -0.1% | -19% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 1 | 12 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 5,746 | 99,551 |
| 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)
Do their labels mention each other?
Tadalafil label, drug interactionsClinical pharmacology studies have been conducted with coadministration of tadalafil with doxazosin, tamsulosin or alfuzosin. [see Dosage and Administration ( 2.7 ), Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 ), and Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.2 )].
Tadalafil label, drug interactionsClinical pharmacology studies have been conducted with coadministration of tadalafil with doxazosin, alfuzosin or tamsulosin [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.2 )]. Antihypertensives PDE5 inhibitors, including ADCIRCA, are mild systemic vasodilators.
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to alfuzosin
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions