Two medicines, side by side
Cimetidine vs pantoprazole
Cimetidine and pantoprazole are both labeled for acid reflux and ulcers. Drugs@FDA records approvals of cimetidine since 1977 and of pantoprazole since 2000. Pharmacies paid $0.236 per cimetidine 300 mg tablet and $0.0358 per pantoprazole sod DR 40 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, cimetidine is a histamine-2 receptor antagonist and pantoprazole a proton pump inhibitor.
Check it at the source: the cimetidine FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 15, 2026); the pantoprazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 18, 2026).
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 pantoprazole record
Pantoprazole (Protonix) · label of May 18, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsPROTONIX For Delayed-Release Oral Suspension and PROTONIX Delayed-Release Tablets are indicated for: PROTONIX is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) indicated for the following: • Short-Term Treatment of Erosive Esophagitis Associated with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) ( 1.1 ) • Maintenance of Healing of Erosive Esophagitis ( 1.2 ) • Pathological Hypersecretory Conditions Including Zollinger-Ellison (ZE) Syndrome […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 2, 2000
- Generic labelers
- 66 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0358 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 25
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Cimetidine label of July 15, 2026, Pantoprazole label of May 18, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do cimetidine and pantoprazole differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, cimetidine is a histamine-2 receptor antagonist and pantoprazole a proton pump inhibitor.
Half-life, in each label's words: Cimetidine, “The half-life of cimetidine tablets is approximately 2 hours.”; Pantoprazole, “Although these subpopulations of pantoprazole poor metabolizers have elimination half-life values of 3.5 to 10 hours in …”
Generics: cimetidine since 1994; pantoprazole since 2007 (Drugs@FDA).
| Cimetidine | Pantoprazole | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Pantoprazole is a PPI that suppresses the final step in gastric acid production by covalently binding to the (H + , K + )-ATPase enzyme system at the secretory surface of the gastric parietal cell. |
| Half-life (label) | The half-life of cimetidine tablets is approximately 2 hours. | Although these subpopulations of pantoprazole poor metabolizers have elimination half-life values of 3.5 to 10 hours in adults, they still have minimal accumulation (23% or less) with once-daily dosing. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | August 16, 1977 | February 2, 2000 |
| First generic approved | May 17, 1994 | August 2, 2007 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 18 labelers | 66 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.236 per tablet (Cimetidine 300 mg tablet) | $0.0358 per tablet (Pantoprazole sod DR 40 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -13% | -4% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 1 | 25 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 9,664 | 330,183 |
| 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