Two medicines, side by side
Ezetimibe vs rosuvastatin
Ezetimibe and rosuvastatin are both labeled for high cholesterol. Drugs@FDA records approvals of ezetimibe since 2002 and of rosuvastatin since 2003. Pharmacies paid $0.0667 per ezetimibe 10 mg tablet and $0.0692 per rosuvastatin calcium 40 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, ezetimibe is a dietary cholesterol absorption inhibitor and rosuvastatin a hmg-coa reductase inhibitor.
Check it at the source: the ezetimibe FDA label on DailyMed (effective November 25, 2025); the rosuvastatin FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 4, 2026).
Highlights of the ezetimibe record
Ezetimibe (Zetia) · label of November 25, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsZETIA ® is indicated: In combination with a statin, or alone when additional low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering therapy is not possible, as an adjunct to diet to reduce elevated LDL-C in adults with primary hyperlipidemia, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 25, 2002
- Generic labelers
- 23 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0667 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Highlights of the rosuvastatin record
Rosuvastatin (Crestor) · label of September 4, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsRosuvastatin tablets are indicated: To reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular (CV) events (CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or an arterial revascularization procedure) in adults at increased risk for CV events. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- August 12, 2003
- Generic labelers
- 45 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0692 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 13
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Ezetimibe label of November 25, 2025, Rosuvastatin label of September 4, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do ezetimibe and rosuvastatin differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, ezetimibe is a dietary cholesterol absorption inhibitor and rosuvastatin a hmg-coa reductase inhibitor.
How each works, in its label's words: Ezetimibe, “Ezetimibe reduces blood cholesterol by inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol by the small intestine.”; Rosuvastatin, “Rosuvastatin is an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme that converts 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A to mevalonate, a precursor of cholesterol.”
Half-life, in each label's words: Ezetimibe, “Both ezetimibe and ezetimibe-glucuronide are eliminated from plasma with a half-life of approximately 22 hours for both …”; Rosuvastatin, “The elimination half-life of rosuvastatin is approximately 19 hours.”
Generics: ezetimibe since 2015; rosuvastatin since 2016 (Drugs@FDA).
| Ezetimibe | Rosuvastatin | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High cholesterol | Heart attack and coronary artery disease, High cholesterol, High triglycerides, Stroke prevention |
| Pharmacologic class | Dietary Cholesterol Absorption Inhibitor | HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | Ezetimibe reduces blood cholesterol by inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol by the small intestine. | Rosuvastatin is an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme that converts 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A to mevalonate, a precursor of cholesterol. |
| Half-life (label) | Both ezetimibe and ezetimibe-glucuronide are eliminated from plasma with a half-life of approximately 22 hours for both ezetimibe and ezetimibe-glucuronide. | The elimination half-life of rosuvastatin is approximately 19 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | October 25, 2002 | August 12, 2003 |
| First generic approved | June 26, 2015 | April 29, 2016 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 23 labelers | 45 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0667 per tablet (Ezetimibe 10 mg tablet) | $0.0692 per tablet (Rosuvastatin calcium 40 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -6% | -7% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 13 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 74,543 | 110,043 |
| 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 ezetimibe
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions