Two medicines, side by side
Clonazepam vs clorazepate
Clonazepam and clorazepate are both labeled for anxiety and seizures and epilepsy. Drugs@FDA records approvals of clonazepam since 1975 and of clorazepate since 1972. Pharmacies paid $0.0244 per clonazepam 1 mg tablet and $0.524 per clorazepate 3.75 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like.
Check it at the source: the clonazepam FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 1, 2025); the clorazepate FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 10, 2026).
Highlights of the clonazepam record
Clonazepam (Klonopin) · label of December 1, 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: indicationsSeizure Disorders Klonopin is useful alone or as an adjunct in the treatment of the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (petit mal variant), akinetic, and myoclonic seizures. In patients with absence seizures (petit mal) who have failed to respond to succinimides, Klonopin may be useful. Some loss of effect may occur during the course of clonazepam treatment (see PRECAUTIONS: Loss of Effect ). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- June 4, 1975
- Generic labelers
- 31 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0244 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- In shortage
- Recalls
- 7
Highlights of the clorazepate record
Clorazepate (Tranxene) · label of September 10, 2026
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 in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required.
Used for
From the label: indicationsClorazepate dipotassium tablets 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. Clorazepate dipotassium tablets are indicated as adjunctive therapy in the management of partial seizures. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- June 23, 1972
- Generic labelers
- 8 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.524 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 2
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Clonazepam label of December 1, 2025, Clorazepate label of September 10, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do clonazepam and clorazepate differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class benzodiazepines.
Half-life, in each label's words: Clonazepam, “The elimination half-life of clonazepam is typically 30 to 40 hours.”; Clorazepate, “The serum half-life is about 2 days.”
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: clonazepam since 1996; clorazepate since 1987 (Drugs@FDA).
| Clonazepam | Clorazepate | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Seizures and epilepsy, Anxiety | Anxiety, Seizures and epilepsy |
| Pharmacologic class | Benzodiazepine | Benzodiazepine |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | The elimination half-life of clonazepam is typically 30 to 40 hours. | The serum half-life is about 2 days. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | June 4, 1975 | June 23, 1972 |
| First generic approved | September 10, 1996 | June 26, 1987 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 31 labelers | 8 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0244 per tablet (Clonazepam 1 mg tablet) | $0.524 per tablet (Clorazepate 3.75 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -14% | -39% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | In shortage | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 7 | 2 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 159,283 | 1,945 |
| 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 clonazepam
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions