Two medicines, side by side
Chlordiazepoxide vs oxazepam
Chlordiazepoxide and oxazepam are both labeled for anxiety. Drugs@FDA records approvals of chlordiazepoxide since 1960 and of oxazepam since 1965. Pharmacies paid $0.158 per chlordiazepoxide 25 mg capsule and $0.725 per oxazepam 10 mg capsule (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like.
Check it at the source: the chlordiazepoxide FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 10, 2025); the oxazepam FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 11, 2025).
Highlights of the chlordiazepoxide record
Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) · label of December 10, 2025
RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH OPIOIDS; ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION; AND DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs for patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required.
Used for
From the label: indicationsChlordiazepoxide Hydrochloride Capsules are indicated for the management of anxiety disorders or for the short term relief of symptoms of anxiety, withdrawal symptoms of acute alcoholism, and preoperative apprehension and anxiety. Anxiety or tension associated with the stress of everyday life usually does not require treatment with an anxiolytic. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 24, 1960
- Generic labelers
- 15 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.158 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Highlights of the oxazepam record
Oxazepam (Serax) · label of July 11, 2025
RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH OPIOIDS; ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION; and DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required.
Used for
From the label: indicationsOxazepam capsules are indicated for the management of anxiety disorders or for the short-term relief of the symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety or tension associated with the stress of everyday life usually does not require treatment with an anxiolytic. Anxiety associated with depression is also responsive to oxazepam therapy. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- June 4, 1965
- Generic labelers
- 6 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.725 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Chlordiazepoxide label of December 10, 2025, Oxazepam label of July 11, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do chlordiazepoxide and oxazepam differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class benzodiazepines.
Half-life, in each label's words: Chlordiazepoxide, “It takes several hours for peak blood levels to be reached and the half-life of the drug is between 24 and 48 hours.”; Oxazepam, “The mean elimination half-life for oxazepam was approximately 8.2 hours (range 5.7 to 10.9 hours).”
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: chlordiazepoxide since 1975; oxazepam since 1987 (Drugs@FDA).
| Chlordiazepoxide | Oxazepam | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Anxiety, Alcohol use disorder | Anxiety |
| Pharmacologic class | Benzodiazepine | Benzodiazepine |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | It takes several hours for peak blood levels to be reached and the half-life of the drug is between 24 and 48 hours. | The mean elimination half-life for oxazepam was approximately 8.2 hours (range 5.7 to 10.9 hours). |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | February 24, 1960 | June 4, 1965 |
| First generic approved | March 7, 1975 | January 16, 1987 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 15 labelers | 6 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.158 per capsule (Chlordiazepoxide 25 mg capsule) | $0.725 per capsule (Oxazepam 10 mg capsule) |
| 12-month price change | -2% | -14% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 0 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 107 | 21,381 |
| DEA schedule | CIV | CIV |
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 chlordiazepoxide
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions