Two medicines, side by side
Betamethasone vs triamcinolone
Betamethasone and triamcinolone are both labeled for asthma, eczema (atopic dermatitis), leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma and anemia. Drugs@FDA records approvals of betamethasone since 1961 and of triamcinolone since 1957. Pharmacies paid $0.418 per gram (Betamethasone dp 0.05% cream) and $0.0452 per gram (Triamcinolone 0.1% cream) (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. Triamcinolone's other strengths are brand-only: $2.33 per mL (Kenalog-10 50 mg/5 mL vial).
Check it at the source: the betamethasone FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 28, 2026); the triamcinolone FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 28, 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 triamcinolone record
Triamcinolone (Kenalog) · 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
- December 3, 1957
- Generic labelers
- 73 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0452 per gram
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- Listed; available
- Recalls
- 27
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Betamethasone label of January 28, 2026, Triamcinolone label of January 28, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do betamethasone and triamcinolone differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class corticosteroids.
Generics: betamethasone since 1979; triamcinolone since 1972 (Drugs@FDA).
| Betamethasone | Triamcinolone | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Asthma, Eczema (atopic dermatitis), Anemia, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, Multiple sclerosis, Psoriasis | Asthma, Eczema (atopic dermatitis), Anemia, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, Allergies, Fever, Pain, Osteoarthritis |
| 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 3, 1957 |
| First generic approved | January 30, 1979 | April 26, 1972 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 28 labelers | 73 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.418 per gram (Betamethasone dp 0.05% cream) | $0.0452 per gram (Triamcinolone 0.1% cream) |
| 12-month price change | -23% | -18% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | Listed; available |
| Recalls recorded | 13 | 27 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 10,812 | 31,591 |
| 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