Two medicines, side by side
Ketorolac vs morphine
Ketorolac and morphine are both labeled for pain. Drugs@FDA records approvals of ketorolac since 1989 and of morphine since 1984. Pharmacies paid $1.02 per mL (Ketorolac 30 mg/mL vial) and $0.226 per morphine sulfate ir 15 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, ketorolac is a cyclooxygenase inhibitor and morphine an opioid agonist.
Check it at the source: the ketorolac FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 31, 2023); the morphine FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 13, 2026).
Highlights of the ketorolac record
Ketorolac (Toradol) · label of August 31, 2023
Ketorolac tromethamine, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is indicated for the short-term (up to 5 days in adults) management of moderately severe acute pain that requires analgesia at the opioid level. Oral ketorolac tromethamine is indicated only as continuation treatment following intravenous or intramuscular dosing of ketorolac tromethamine, if necessary.
Used for
From the label: indicationsCarefully consider the potential benefits and risks of ketorolac tromethamine and other treatment options before deciding to use ketorolac. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals (see WARNINGS ). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 30, 1989
- Generic labelers
- 60 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $1.02 per mL
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- In shortage
- Recalls
- 24
Highlights of the morphine record
Morphine (Duramorph) · label of July 13, 2026
ADDICTION, ABUSE, AND MISUSE; RISK EVALUATION AND MITIGATION STRATEGY (REMS); LIFE-THREATENING RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION; ACCIDENTAL INGESTION; NEONATAL OPIOID WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME; and RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH BENZODIAZEPINES OR OTHER CNS DEPRESSANTS Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse Morphine sulfate exposes patients and other users to the risks of opioid addiction, abuse, and misuse, which can lead to overdose and death.
Used for
From the label: indicationsMorphine sulfate extended-release tablets are indicated for the management of pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 18, 1984
- Generic labelers
- 22 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.226 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- In shortage
- Recalls
- 66
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Ketorolac label of August 31, 2023, Morphine label of July 13, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do ketorolac and morphine differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, ketorolac is a cyclooxygenase inhibitor and morphine an opioid agonist.
How each works, in its label's words: Ketorolac, “of ketorolac, like that of other NSAIDs, is not completely understood but may be related to prostaglandin synthetase inhibition.”; Morphine, “Morphine is a full opioid agonist is relatively selective for the mu-opioid receptor, although it can bind to other opioid receptors at higher doses.”
Half-life, in each label's words: Ketorolac, “The half-life of the ketorolac tromethamine S-enantiomer was approximately 2.5 hours (SD ± 0.4) compared with 5 hours …”; Morphine, “Excretion The elimination of morphine occurs primarily as renal excretion of M3G and its effective half-life after …”
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: ketorolac since 1997; morphine since 1986 (Drugs@FDA).
DEA schedule: ketorolac none; morphine CII.
| Ketorolac | Morphine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Pain | Pain |
| Pharmacologic class | Cyclooxygenase Inhibitor, Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug | Opioid Agonist |
| How it works (label) | of ketorolac, like that of other NSAIDs, is not completely understood but may be related to prostaglandin synthetase inhibition. The biological activity of ketorolac tromethamine is associated with the S-form. | Morphine is a full opioid agonist is relatively selective for the mu-opioid receptor, although it can bind to other opioid receptors at higher doses. The principal therapeutic action of morphine is analgesia. |
| Half-life (label) | The half-life of the ketorolac tromethamine S-enantiomer was approximately 2.5 hours (SD ± 0.4) compared with 5 hours (SD ± 1.7) for the R-enantiomer. | Excretion The elimination of morphine occurs primarily as renal excretion of M3G and its effective half-life after intravenous administration is normally 2 to 4 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | November 30, 1989 | September 18, 1984 |
| First generic approved | May 16, 1997 | October 7, 1986 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 60 labelers | 22 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $1.02 per mL (Ketorolac 30 mg/mL vial) | $0.226 per tablet (Morphine sulfate ir 15 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -6% | -12% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | In shortage | In shortage |
| Recalls recorded | 24 | 66 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 5,597 | 120,591 |
| DEA schedule | none | CII |
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 ketorolac
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions