Two medicines, side by side
Metoclopramide vs pantoprazole
Metoclopramide and pantoprazole are both labeled for acid reflux and ulcers. Drugs@FDA records approvals of metoclopramide since 1979 and of pantoprazole since 2000. Pharmacies paid $0.0439 per metoclopramide 10 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, metoclopramide is a dopamine-2 receptor antagonist and pantoprazole a proton pump inhibitor.
Check it at the source: the metoclopramide FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 18, 2026); the pantoprazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 18, 2026).
Highlights of the metoclopramide record
Metoclopramide (Reglan) · label of May 18, 2026
TARDIVE DYSKINESIA
Metoclopramide, including metoclopramide tablets, can cause tardive dyskinesia (TD), a potentially irreversible serious movement disorder. In patients treated with metoclopramide, including metoclopramide tablets, the risk of developing TD increases with duration of treatment and total cumulative dosage [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )].
Metoclopramide tablets are contraindicated in patients with a history of TD.
Used for
From the label: indicationsMetoclopramide Tablets USP are indicated for the: • Treatment for 4 to 12 weeks of symptomatic, documented gastroesophageal reflux in adults who fail to respond to conventional therapy. • Relief of symptoms in adults with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 7, 1979
- Generic labelers
- 39 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0439 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 10
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 (Metoclopramide label of May 18, 2026, Pantoprazole label of May 18, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do metoclopramide and pantoprazole differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, metoclopramide is a dopamine-2 receptor antagonist and pantoprazole a proton pump inhibitor.
How each works, in its label's words: Metoclopramide, “Metoclopramide stimulates motility of the upper gastrointestinal tract without stimulating gastric, biliary, or pancreatic secretions.”; Pantoprazole, “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, in each label's words: Metoclopramide, “The mean elimination half-life in subjects with normal renal function was 5 to 6 hours.”; Pantoprazole, “Although these subpopulations of pantoprazole poor metabolizers have elimination half-life values of 3.5 to 10 hours in …”
Only the metoclopramide label carries a boxed warning.
Generics: metoclopramide since 1985; pantoprazole since 2007 (Drugs@FDA).
| Metoclopramide | Pantoprazole | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Acid reflux and ulcers, Nausea and vomiting | Acid reflux and ulcers |
| Pharmacologic class | Dopamine-2 Receptor Antagonist | Proton Pump Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | Metoclopramide stimulates motility of the upper gastrointestinal tract without stimulating gastric, biliary, or pancreatic secretions. | 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) | The mean elimination half-life in subjects with normal renal function was 5 to 6 hours. | 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) | February 7, 1979 | February 2, 2000 |
| First generic approved | July 29, 1985 | August 2, 2007 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 39 labelers | 66 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0439 per tablet (Metoclopramide 10 mg tablet) | $0.0358 per tablet (Pantoprazole sod DR 40 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -11% | -4% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 10 | 25 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 76,710 | 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 metoclopramide
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions