Two medicines, side by side
Betamethasone vs halobetasol
Betamethasone and halobetasol are both labeled for psoriasis. Drugs@FDA records approvals of betamethasone since 1961 and of halobetasol since 1990. Pharmacies paid $0.418 per gram (Betamethasone dp 0.05% cream) and $0.620 per gram (Halobetasol prop 0.05% ointmnt) (NADAC, October 7, 2026).
Check it at the source: the betamethasone FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 28, 2026); the halobetasol FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 29, 2026).
Highlights of the betamethasone record
Betamethasone (Celestone) · label of January 28, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsTopical corticosteroids are indicated for the relief of the inflammatory and pruritic manifestations of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- April 17, 1961
- Generic labelers
- 28 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.418 per gram
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 13
Highlights of the halobetasol record
Halobetasol (Ultravate) · label of June 29, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsHalobetasol propionate ointment, 0.05% is a super-high potency corticosteroid indicated for the relief of the inflammatory and pruritic manifestations of corticosteroid responsive dermatoses. Treatment beyond two consecutive weeks is not recommended, and the total dosage should not exceed 50 g/week because of the potential for the drug to suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 17, 1990
- Generic labelers
- 6 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.620 per gram
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 3
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Betamethasone label of January 28, 2026, Halobetasol label of June 29, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do betamethasone and halobetasol differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class corticosteroids.
Generics: betamethasone since 1979; halobetasol since 2004 (Drugs@FDA).
| Betamethasone | Halobetasol | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Asthma, Eczema (atopic dermatitis), Anemia, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, Multiple sclerosis, Psoriasis | Psoriasis |
| Pharmacologic class | Corticosteroid | Corticosteroid |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | April 17, 1961 | December 17, 1990 |
| First generic approved | January 30, 1979 | December 16, 2004 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 28 labelers | 6 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.418 per gram (Betamethasone dp 0.05% cream) | $0.620 per gram (Halobetasol prop 0.05% ointmnt) |
| 12-month price change | -23% | -8% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 13 | 3 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 10,812 | 1,336 |
| 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 betamethasone
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions