Two medicines, side by side
Desloratadine vs loratadine
Desloratadine is labeled for allergies; loratadine has no indication this site maps. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of desloratadine since 2001 and of loratadine since 1993. Pharmacies paid $0.258 per desloratadine 5 mg tablet and $0.0529 per loratadine 10 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like.
Check it at the source: the desloratadine FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 17, 2025); the loratadine FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 5, 2025).
Highlights of the desloratadine record
Desloratadine (Clarinex) · label of May 17, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsCLARINEX is a histamine-1 (H1) receptor antagonist indicated for: Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis: relief of nasal and non-nasal symptoms in patients 2 years of age and older. ( 1.1 ) Perennial Allergic Rhinitis: relief of nasal and non-nasal symptoms in patients 6 months of age and older. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 21, 2001
- Generic labelers
- 9 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.258 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Highlights of the loratadine record
Loratadine (Lil) · label of December 5, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationstemporarily relieves these symptoms due to hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies: runny nose itchy, watery eyes sneezing itching of the nose or throat
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- April 12, 1993
- Generic labelers
- 149 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0529 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 5
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Desloratadine label of May 17, 2025, Loratadine label of December 5, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do desloratadine and loratadine differ on the record?
Generics: desloratadine since 2010; loratadine since 2003 (Drugs@FDA).
| Desloratadine | Loratadine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Allergies | n/a |
| Pharmacologic class | Histamine-1 Receptor Antagonist | n/a |
| How it works (label) | Desloratadine is a long-acting tricyclic histamine antagonist with selective H 1 -receptor histamine antagonist activity. | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | pproximately 6% of subjects were poor metabolizers of desloratadine (defined as a subject with an AUC ratio of 3-hydroxydesloratadine to desloratadine less than 0.1, or a subject with a desloratadine half-life exceeding … | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 21, 2001 | April 12, 1993 |
| First generic approved | February 19, 2010 | January 21, 2003 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 9 labelers | 149 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.258 per tablet (Desloratadine 5 mg tablet) | $0.0529 per tablet (Loratadine 10 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -13% | -7% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 1 | 5 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 10,661 | 106,995 |
| 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)
Do their labels mention each other?
Desloratadine label, contraindicationsCONTRAINDICATIONS CLARINEX Tablets, RediTabs, and Oral Solution are contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to this medication or to any of its ingredients or to loratadine [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) and Adverse Reactions (6.2) ].
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to desloratadine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions