Two medicines, side by side
Medroxyprogesterone vs norethindrone
Medroxyprogesterone and norethindrone are both labeled for birth control. Drugs@FDA records approvals of medroxyprogesterone since 1959 and of norethindrone since 1973. Pharmacies paid $22.85 per mL (Medroxyprogesterone 150 mg/mL) and $0.290 per norethindrone 5 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. Only the medroxyprogesterone label carries a boxed warning.
Check it at the source: the medroxyprogesterone FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 29, 2026); the norethindrone FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 31, 2026).
Highlights of the medroxyprogesterone record
Medroxyprogesterone (Depo-Provera) · label of June 29, 2026
CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS, BREAST CANCER AND PROBABLE DEMENTIA FOR ESTROGEN PLUS PROGESTIN THERAPY Cardiovascular Disorders and Probable Dementia Estrogen plus progestin therapy should not be used for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or dementia.
Used for
From the label: indicationsPROVERA tablets are indicated for the treatment of secondary amenorrhea and abnormal uterine bleeding due to hormonal imbalance in the absence of organic pathology, such as fibroids or uterine cancer. They are also indicated for use in the prevention of endometrial hyperplasia in nonhysterectomized postmenopausal women who are receiving daily oral conjugated estrogens 0.625 mg tablets.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- June 18, 1959
- Generic labelers
- 21 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $22.85 per mL
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- A presentation being discontinued
- Recalls
- 14
Highlights of the norethindrone record
Norethindrone (Nor-Qd) · label of January 31, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsIndications Progestin-only oral contraceptives are indicated for the prevention of pregnancy. 2. Efficacy If used perfectly, the first-year failure rate for progestin-only oral contraceptives is 0.3%. However, the typical failure rate is estimated to be closer to 9%, due to late or omitted pills. Table 1 lists the pregnancy rates for users of all major methods of contraception. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- January 2, 1973
- Generic labelers
- 18 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.290 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Medroxyprogesterone label of June 29, 2026, Norethindrone label of January 31, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do medroxyprogesterone and norethindrone differ on the record?
Only the medroxyprogesterone label carries a boxed warning.
Both are in FDA's class progestins.
Generics: medroxyprogesterone since 1974; norethindrone since 2001 (Drugs@FDA).
| Medroxyprogesterone | Norethindrone | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Birth control, Pain | Birth control |
| Pharmacologic class | Progestin | Progestin |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Mode of Action Norethindrone progestin-only oral contraceptives prevent conception by suppressing ovulation in approximately half of users, thickening the cervical mucus to inhibit sperm penetration, lowering the midcycle LH and FSH peaks … |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | June 18, 1959 | January 2, 1973 |
| First generic approved | May 15, 1974 | May 25, 2001 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 21 labelers | 18 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $22.85 per mL (Medroxyprogesterone 150 mg/mL) | $0.290 per tablet (Norethindrone 5 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | +12% | -4% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Shortage now | A presentation being discontinued | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 14 | 0 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 49,531 | 5,466 |
| 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 medroxyprogesterone
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions