Two medicines, side by side
Clorazepate vs alprazolam
Clorazepate and alprazolam are both labeled for anxiety. Drugs@FDA records approvals of clorazepate since 1972 and of alprazolam since 1981. Pharmacies paid $0.524 per clorazepate 3.75 mg tablet and $0.0236 per alprazolam 0.25 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like.
Check it at the source: the clorazepate FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 10, 2026); the alprazolam FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 18, 2023).
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
Highlights of the alprazolam record
Alprazolam (Xanax) · label of January 18, 2023
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: indicationsXANAX is indicated for the: • acute treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in adults. • treatment of panic disorder (PD), with or without agoraphobia in adults. XANAX is a benzodiazepine indicated for the: • Acute treatment of generalized anxiety disorder in adults. ( 1 ) • Treatment of panic disorder with or without agoraphobia in adults.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 16, 1981
- Generic labelers
- 30 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0236 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 23
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Clorazepate label of September 10, 2026, Alprazolam label of January 18, 2023); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do clorazepate and alprazolam differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class benzodiazepines.
Half-life, in each label's words: Clorazepate, “The serum half-life is about 2 days.”; Alprazolam, “Elimination The mean plasma elimination half-life (T 1/2 ) of alprazolam is approximately 11.2 hours (range: 6.3 to …”
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: clorazepate since 1987; alprazolam since 1993 (Drugs@FDA).
| Clorazepate | Alprazolam | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Anxiety, Seizures and epilepsy | Anxiety |
| Pharmacologic class | Benzodiazepine | Benzodiazepine |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Alprazolam is a 1,4 benzodiazepine. |
| Half-life (label) | The serum half-life is about 2 days. | Elimination The mean plasma elimination half-life (T 1/2 ) of alprazolam is approximately 11.2 hours (range: 6.3 to 26.9 hours) in healthy adults. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | June 23, 1972 | October 16, 1981 |
| First generic approved | June 26, 1987 | October 19, 1993 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 8 labelers | 30 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.524 per tablet (Clorazepate 3.75 mg tablet) | $0.0236 per tablet (Alprazolam 0.25 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -39% | -1% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 2 | 23 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 1,945 | 204,916 |
| 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 do the labels say about using others of their kind?
Alprazolam label, drug interactionsCNS Depressants Clinical implication The benzodiazepines, including alprazolam, produce additive CNS depressant effects when coadministered with other CNS depressants.
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to clorazepate
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions