Two medicines, side by side
Dexamethasone vs hydroxychloroquine
Dexamethasone and hydroxychloroquine are both labeled for rheumatoid arthritis. Drugs@FDA records approvals of dexamethasone since 1958 and of hydroxychloroquine since 1955. Pharmacies paid $0.193 per dexamethasone 4 mg tablet and $0.149 per hydroxychloroquine 200 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, dexamethasone is a corticosteroid and hydroxychloroquine an antirheumatic agent.
Check it at the source: the dexamethasone FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 6, 2025); the hydroxychloroquine FDA label on DailyMed (effective October 8, 2024).
Highlights of the dexamethasone record
Dexamethasone (Decadron) · label of June 6, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsAllergic States Control of severe or incapacitating allergic conditions intractable to adequate trials of conventional treatment in asthma, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, drug hypersensitivity reactions, perennial or seasonal allergic rhinitis, and serum sickness. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 30, 1958
- Generic labelers
- 60 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.193 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- In shortage
- Recalls
- 8
Highlights of the hydroxychloroquine record
Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) · label of October 8, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsSOVUNA is an antimalarial and antirheumatic indicated for the: Treatment of uncomplicated malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium vivax in adult and pediatric patients. (1.1) Prophylaxis of malaria in geographic areas where chloroquine resistance is not reported in adult and pediatric patients. (1.1) Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in adults. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- April 18, 1955
- Generic labelers
- 28 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.149 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- A presentation being discontinued
- Recalls
- 2
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Dexamethasone label of June 6, 2025, Hydroxychloroquine label of October 8, 2024); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do dexamethasone and hydroxychloroquine differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, dexamethasone is a corticosteroid and hydroxychloroquine an antirheumatic agent.
Generics: dexamethasone since 1971; hydroxychloroquine since 1994 (Drugs@FDA).
| Dexamethasone | Hydroxychloroquine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Asthma, Eczema (atopic dermatitis), Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, Herpes and shingles, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Multiple sclerosis, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Psoriasis, Allergies, Anemia, Pain | Rheumatoid arthritis |
| Pharmacologic class | Corticosteroid | Antimalarial, Antirheumatic Agent |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Malaria Hydroxychloroquine is a 4-aminoquinoline antimalarial [see Microbiology (12.4)] and antirheumatic agent. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | Results following a single oral dose of a 200 mg tablet demonstrated a half-life of hydroxychloroquine about 40 days in whole blood. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | October 30, 1958 | April 18, 1955 |
| First generic approved | October 20, 1971 | September 30, 1994 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 60 labelers | 28 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.193 per tablet (Dexamethasone 4 mg tablet) | $0.149 per tablet (Hydroxychloroquine 200 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -26% | -8% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | In shortage | A presentation being discontinued |
| Recalls recorded | 8 | 2 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 304,163 | 151,392 |
| 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 dexamethasone
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions