Two medicines, side by side
Cimetidine vs omeprazole
Cimetidine and omeprazole are both labeled for acid reflux and ulcers. Drugs@FDA records approvals of cimetidine since 1977 and of omeprazole since 1989. Pharmacies paid $0.236 per cimetidine 300 mg tablet and $0.0295 per omeprazole DR 20 mg capsule (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. Omeprazole's other strengths are brand-only: $14.75 per pen (Prilosec DR 2.5 mg suspension). In FDA's classes, cimetidine is a histamine-2 receptor antagonist and omeprazole a proton pump inhibitor.
Check it at the source: the cimetidine FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 15, 2026); the omeprazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 22, 2024).
Highlights of the cimetidine record
Cimetidine (Tagamet) · label of July 15, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsCimetidine tablets are indicated in: 1. Short-term treatment of active duodenal ulcer. Most patients heal within 4 weeks and there is rarely reason to use cimetidine tablets at full dosage for longer than 6 to 8 weeks (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION: Duodenal Ulcer ). Concomitant antacids should be given as needed for relief of pain. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- August 16, 1977
- Generic labelers
- 18 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.236 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Highlights of the omeprazole record
Omeprazole (Prilosec) · label of April 22, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsOmeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) indicated for the: Treatment of active duodenal ulcer in adults ( 1.1 ) Eradication of Helicobacter pylori to reduce the risk of duodenal ulcer recurrence in adults ( 1.2 ) Treatment of active benign gastric ulcer in adults ( 1.3 ) Treatment of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients 1 year of age and older ( 1.4 ) Treatment of erosive esophagitis […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 14, 1989
- Generic labelers
- 118 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0295 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- A presentation being discontinued
- Recalls
- 7
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Cimetidine label of July 15, 2026, Omeprazole label of April 22, 2024); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do cimetidine and omeprazole differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, cimetidine is a histamine-2 receptor antagonist and omeprazole a proton pump inhibitor.
Half-life, in each label's words: Cimetidine, “The half-life of cimetidine tablets is approximately 2 hours.”; Omeprazole, “disease classified as Child-Pugh Class A (n=3), B (n=4) and C (n=1), the bioavailability increased to approximately …”
Generics: cimetidine since 1994; omeprazole since 2002 (Drugs@FDA).
| Cimetidine | Omeprazole | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Acid reflux and ulcers | Acid reflux and ulcers |
| Pharmacologic class | Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonist | Proton Pump Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Omeprazole belongs to a class of antisecretory compounds, the substituted benzimidazoles, that suppress gastric acid secretion by specific inhibition of the H + /K + ATPase enzyme system at the secretory surface of the gastric parietal … |
| Half-life (label) | The half-life of cimetidine tablets is approximately 2 hours. | disease classified as Child-Pugh Class A (n=3), B (n=4) and C (n=1), the bioavailability increased to approximately 100% compared to healthy subjects, reflecting decreased first-pass effect, and the plasma half-life of … |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | August 16, 1977 | September 14, 1989 |
| First generic approved | May 17, 1994 | November 1, 2002 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 18 labelers | 118 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.236 per tablet (Cimetidine 300 mg tablet) | $0.0295 per capsule (Omeprazole DR 20 mg capsule) |
| 12-month price change | -13% | -7% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | A presentation being discontinued |
| Recalls recorded | 1 | 7 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 9,664 | 446,179 |
| 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 cimetidine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions