Two medicines, side by side
Haloperidol vs aripiprazole
Haloperidol and aripiprazole are both labeled for schizophrenia. Drugs@FDA records approvals of haloperidol since 1967 and of aripiprazole since 2002. Pharmacies paid $15.60 per mL (Haloperidol dec 100 mg/mL vial) and $0.110 per aripiprazole 5 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, haloperidol is a typical antipsychotic and aripiprazole an atypical antipsychotic.
Check it at the source: the haloperidol FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 23, 2026); the aripiprazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 29, 2025).
Highlights of the haloperidol record
Haloperidol (Haldol) · label of April 23, 2026
Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. Analyses of seventeen placebo-controlled trials (modal duration of 10 weeks), largely in patients taking atypical antipsychotic drugs, revealed a risk of death in drug-treated patients of between 1.6 to 1.7 times the risk of death in placebo-treated patients.
Used for
From the label: indicationsHaloperidol tablets are indicated for use in the management of manifestations of psychotic disorders. Haloperidol tablets are indicated for the control of tics and vocal utterances of Tourette’s Disorder in children and adults. Haloperidol tablets are effective for the treatment of severe behavior problems in children of combative, explosive hyperexcitability (which cannot be accounted for by immediate provocation). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- April 12, 1967
- Generic labelers
- 41 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $15.60 per mL
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- A presentation being discontinued
- Recalls
- 18
Highlights of the aripiprazole record
Aripiprazole (Abilify) · label of January 29, 2025
INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS and SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS WITH ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. ABILIFY is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ].
Used for
From the label: indicationsABILIFY (aripiprazole) Tablets are indicated for the treatment of: Schizophrenia Acute Treatment of Manic and Mixed Episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder Adjunctive Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder Irritability Associated with Autistic Disorder Treatment of Tourette's Disorder ABILIFY is an atypical antipsychotic. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 15, 2002
- Generic labelers
- 47 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.110 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 25
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Haloperidol label of April 23, 2026, Aripiprazole label of January 29, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do haloperidol and aripiprazole differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, haloperidol is a typical antipsychotic and aripiprazole an atypical antipsychotic.
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: haloperidol since 1986; aripiprazole since 2015 (Drugs@FDA).
| Haloperidol | Aripiprazole | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Schizophrenia | Depression, Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia |
| Pharmacologic class | Typical Antipsychotic | Atypical Antipsychotic |
| How it works (label) | n/a | The mechanism of action of aripiprazole in schizophrenia or bipolar mania, is unclear. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | For CYP2D6 poor metabolizers, the mean elimination half-life for aripiprazole is about 146 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | April 12, 1967 | November 15, 2002 |
| First generic approved | June 10, 1986 | April 28, 2015 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 41 labelers | 47 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $15.60 per mL (Haloperidol dec 100 mg/mL vial) | $0.110 per tablet (Aripiprazole 5 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | no change | +3% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | A presentation being discontinued | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 18 | 25 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 26,054 | 121,736 |
| 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 haloperidol
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions