Two medicines, side by side
Chlorpromazine vs quetiapine
Chlorpromazine and quetiapine are both labeled for schizophrenia. Drugs@FDA records approvals of chlorpromazine since 1957 and of quetiapine since 1997. Pharmacies paid $0.552 per chlorpromazine 100 mg tablet and $0.127 per quetiapine fumarate 300 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, chlorpromazine is a phenothiazine and quetiapine an atypical antipsychotic.
Check it at the source: the chlorpromazine FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 12, 2026); the quetiapine FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 10, 2026).
Highlights of the chlorpromazine record
Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) · label of May 12, 2026
Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. Analyses of seventeen placebo-controlled trials (modal duration of 10 weeks), largely in patients taking atypical antipsychotic drugs, revealed a risk of death in drug-treated patients of between 1.6 to 1.7 times the risk of death in placebo-treated patients.
Used for
From the label: indicationsFor the management of manifestations of psychotic disorders. For the treatment of schizophrenia. To control nausea and vomiting. For relief of restlessness and apprehension before surgery. For acute intermittent porphyria. As an adjunct in the treatment of tetanus. To control the manifestations of the manic type of manic-depressive illness. For relief of intractable hiccups. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 18, 1957
- Generic labelers
- 33 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.552 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 25
Highlights of the quetiapine record
Quetiapine (Seroquel) · label of April 10, 2026
INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS; and SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ]. SEROQUEL is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ].
Used for
From the label: indicationsSEROQUEL is an atypical antipsychotic indicated for the treatment of: • Schizophrenia ( 1.1 ) • Bipolar I disorder manic episodes (1.2) • Bipolar disorder, depressive episodes (1.2) 1.1 Schizophrenia SEROQUEL is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia. The efficacy of SEROQUEL in schizophrenia was established in three 6-week trials in adults and one 6-week trial in adolescents (13-17 years). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 26, 1997
- Generic labelers
- 48 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.127 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 10
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Chlorpromazine label of May 12, 2026, Quetiapine label of April 10, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do chlorpromazine and quetiapine differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, chlorpromazine is a phenothiazine and quetiapine an atypical antipsychotic.
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: chlorpromazine since 1972; quetiapine since 2012 (Drugs@FDA).
| Chlorpromazine | Quetiapine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Schizophrenia, Nausea and vomiting | Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, Depression |
| Pharmacologic class | Phenothiazine | Atypical Antipsychotic |
| How it works (label) | n/a | The mechanism of action of quetiapine in the listed indications is unclear. However, the efficacy of quetiapine in these indications could be mediated through a combination of dopamine type 2 (D 2 ) and serotonin type 2 (5HT 2 ) antagonism. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | Elimination of quetiapine is mainly via hepatic metabolism with a mean terminal half-life of about 6 hours within the proposed clinical dose range. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | September 18, 1957 | September 26, 1997 |
| First generic approved | March 16, 1972 | March 27, 2012 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 33 labelers | 48 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.552 per tablet (Chlorpromazine 100 mg tablet) | $0.127 per tablet (Quetiapine fumarate 300 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -27% | -9% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 25 | 10 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 7,098 | 191,480 |
| 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 chlorpromazine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions