Two medicines, side by side
Famotidine vs pantoprazole
Famotidine and pantoprazole are both labeled for acid reflux and ulcers. Drugs@FDA records approvals of famotidine since 1986 and of pantoprazole since 2000. Pharmacies paid $0.0289 per famotidine 20 mg tablet and $0.0358 per pantoprazole sod DR 40 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, famotidine is a histamine-2 receptor antagonist and pantoprazole a proton pump inhibitor.
Check it at the source: the famotidine FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 6, 2026); the pantoprazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 18, 2026).
Highlights of the famotidine record
Famotidine (Pepcid) · label of February 6, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsrelieves heartburn associated with acid indigestion and sour stomach prevents heartburn associated with acid indigestion and sour stomach brought on by eating or drinking certain food and beverages
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 15, 1986
- Generic labelers
- 145 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0289 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 14
Highlights of the pantoprazole record
Pantoprazole (Protonix) · label of May 18, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsPROTONIX For Delayed-Release Oral Suspension and PROTONIX Delayed-Release Tablets are indicated for: PROTONIX is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) indicated for the following: • Short-Term Treatment of Erosive Esophagitis Associated with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) ( 1.1 ) • Maintenance of Healing of Erosive Esophagitis ( 1.2 ) • Pathological Hypersecretory Conditions Including Zollinger-Ellison (ZE) Syndrome […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 2, 2000
- Generic labelers
- 66 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0358 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 25
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Famotidine label of February 6, 2026, Pantoprazole label of May 18, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do famotidine and pantoprazole differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, famotidine is a histamine-2 receptor antagonist and pantoprazole a proton pump inhibitor.
Generics: famotidine since 2001; pantoprazole since 2007 (Drugs@FDA).
| Famotidine | Pantoprazole | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Acid reflux and ulcers | Acid reflux and ulcers |
| Pharmacologic class | Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonist | Proton Pump Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Pantoprazole is a PPI that suppresses the final step in gastric acid production by covalently binding to the (H + , K + )-ATPase enzyme system at the secretory surface of the gastric parietal cell. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | Although these subpopulations of pantoprazole poor metabolizers have elimination half-life values of 3.5 to 10 hours in adults, they still have minimal accumulation (23% or less) with once-daily dosing. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | October 15, 1986 | February 2, 2000 |
| First generic approved | April 16, 2001 | August 2, 2007 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 145 labelers | 66 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0289 per tablet (Famotidine 20 mg tablet) | $0.0358 per tablet (Pantoprazole sod DR 40 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -2% | -4% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 14 | 25 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 118,838 | 330,183 |
| 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 famotidine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions