Two medicines, side by side
Omeprazole vs ranitidine
Omeprazole and ranitidine are both labeled for acid reflux and ulcers. Drugs@FDA records approvals of omeprazole since 1989 and of ranitidine since 1983. In FDA's classes, omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor and ranitidine a histamine-2 receptor antagonist.
Check it at the source: the omeprazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 22, 2024); the ranitidine FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 1, 2026).
Highlights of the omeprazole record
Omeprazole (Prilosec) · label of April 22, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsOmeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) indicated for the: Treatment of active duodenal ulcer in adults ( 1.1 ) Eradication of Helicobacter pylori to reduce the risk of duodenal ulcer recurrence in adults ( 1.2 ) Treatment of active benign gastric ulcer in adults ( 1.3 ) Treatment of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients 1 year of age and older ( 1.4 ) Treatment of erosive esophagitis […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 14, 1989
- Generic labelers
- 118 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0295 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- A presentation being discontinued
- Recalls
- 7
Highlights of the ranitidine record
Ranitidine (Zantac) · label of May 1, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsRanitidine Tablets, USP are indicated in: Short-term treatment of active duodenal ulcer. Most patients heal within 4 weeks. Studies available to date have not assessed the safety of ranitidine in uncomplicated duodenal ulcer for periods of more than 8 weeks. Maintenance therapy for duodenal ulcer patients at reduced dosage after healing of acute ulcers. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- June 9, 1983
- Generic labelers
- 8 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 47
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Omeprazole label of April 22, 2024, Ranitidine label of May 1, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do omeprazole and ranitidine differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor and ranitidine a histamine-2 receptor antagonist.
Half-life, in each label's words: Omeprazole, “disease classified as Child-Pugh Class A (n=3), B (n=4) and C (n=1), the bioavailability increased to approximately …”; Ranitidine, “The elimination half-life is 2.5 to 3 hours.”
Generics: omeprazole since 2002; ranitidine since 1997 (Drugs@FDA).
| Omeprazole | Ranitidine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Acid reflux and ulcers | Acid reflux and ulcers |
| Pharmacologic class | Proton Pump Inhibitor | Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonist |
| How it works (label) | Omeprazole belongs to a class of antisecretory compounds, the substituted benzimidazoles, that suppress gastric acid secretion by specific inhibition of the H + /K + ATPase enzyme system at the secretory surface of the gastric parietal … | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | disease classified as Child-Pugh Class A (n=3), B (n=4) and C (n=1), the bioavailability increased to approximately 100% compared to healthy subjects, reflecting decreased first-pass effect, and the plasma half-life of … | The elimination half-life is 2.5 to 3 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | September 14, 1989 | June 9, 1983 |
| First generic approved | November 1, 2002 | July 31, 1997 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 118 labelers | 8 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0295 per capsule (Omeprazole DR 20 mg capsule) | n/a |
| 12-month price change | -7% | n/a |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | A presentation being discontinued | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 7 | 47 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 446,179 | 230,803 |
| 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 omeprazole
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions