Two medicines, side by side
Dexamethasone vs prednisone
Dexamethasone and prednisone are both labeled for osteoarthritis, asthma, allergies, crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, herpes and shingles, eczema (atopic dermatitis), multiple sclerosis, leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma and anemia. Drugs@FDA records approvals of dexamethasone since 1958 and of prednisone since 1955. Pharmacies paid $0.193 per dexamethasone 4 mg tablet and $0.0643 per prednisone 20 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like.
Check it at the source: the dexamethasone FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 6, 2025); the prednisone FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 22, 2025).
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 prednisone record
Prednisone (Meticorten) · label of April 22, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsPrednisone tablets and solutions are indicated in the following conditions: 1. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 21, 1955
- Generic labelers
- 45 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0643 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 10
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Dexamethasone label of June 6, 2025, Prednisone label of April 22, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do dexamethasone and prednisone differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class corticosteroids.
Generics: dexamethasone since 1971; prednisone since 1971 (Drugs@FDA).
| Dexamethasone | Prednisone | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Osteoarthritis, Asthma, Allergies, Herpes and shingles, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Multiple sclerosis, Eczema (atopic dermatitis), Anemia, Organ transplant rejection |
| Pharmacologic class | Corticosteroid | Corticosteroid |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | October 30, 1958 | February 21, 1955 |
| First generic approved | October 20, 1971 | December 23, 1971 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 60 labelers | 45 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.193 per tablet (Dexamethasone 4 mg tablet) | $0.0643 per tablet (Prednisone 20 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -26% | -15% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | In shortage | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 8 | 10 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 304,163 | 499,950 |
| 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