Two medicines, side by side
Pantoprazole vs ranitidine
Pantoprazole and ranitidine are both labeled for acid reflux and ulcers. Drugs@FDA records approvals of pantoprazole since 2000 and of ranitidine since 1983. In FDA's classes, pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor and ranitidine a histamine-2 receptor antagonist.
Check it at the source: the pantoprazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 18, 2026); the ranitidine FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 1, 2026).
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
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 (Pantoprazole label of May 18, 2026, Ranitidine label of May 1, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do pantoprazole and ranitidine differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor and ranitidine a histamine-2 receptor antagonist.
Half-life, in each label's words: Pantoprazole, “Although these subpopulations of pantoprazole poor metabolizers have elimination half-life values of 3.5 to 10 hours in …”; Ranitidine, “The elimination half-life is 2.5 to 3 hours.”
Generics: pantoprazole since 2007; ranitidine since 1997 (Drugs@FDA).
| Pantoprazole | Ranitidine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Acid reflux and ulcers | Acid reflux and ulcers |
| Pharmacologic class | Proton Pump Inhibitor | Histamine-2 Receptor Antagonist |
| How it works (label) | 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. | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | 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. | The elimination half-life is 2.5 to 3 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | February 2, 2000 | June 9, 1983 |
| First generic approved | August 2, 2007 | July 31, 1997 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 66 labelers | 8 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0358 per tablet (Pantoprazole sod DR 40 mg tablet) | n/a |
| 12-month price change | -4% | n/a |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 25 | 47 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 330,183 | 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 pantoprazole
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions