Two medicines, side by side
Prochlorperazine vs olanzapine
Prochlorperazine and olanzapine are both labeled for schizophrenia. Drugs@FDA records approvals of prochlorperazine since 1956 and of olanzapine since 1996. Pharmacies paid $0.162 per prochlorperazine 10 mg tablet and $0.147 per olanzapine 20 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, prochlorperazine is a phenothiazine and olanzapine an atypical antipsychotic.
Check it at the source: the prochlorperazine FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 27, 2026); the olanzapine FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 5, 2026).
Highlights of the prochlorperazine record
Prochlorperazine (Compro) · label of January 27, 2026
Increased Mortality in Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Psychosis Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. Analyses of seventeen placebo-controlled trials (modal duration of 10 weeks), largely in patients taking atypical antipsychotic drugs, revealed a risk of death in drug-treated patients of between 1.6 to 1.7 times the risk of death in placebo-treated patients.
Used for
From the label: indicationsFor control of severe nausea and vomiting. For the treatment of schizophrenia. Prochlorperazine is effective for the short-term treatment of generalized non-psychotic anxiety. However, prochlorperazine is not the first drug to be used in therapy for most patients with non-psychotic anxiety, because certain risks associated with its use are not shared by common alternative treatments (e.g., benzodiazepines). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 23, 1956
- Generic labelers
- 45 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.162 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 3
Highlights of the olanzapine record
Olanzapine (Zyprexa) · label of March 5, 2026
INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS Elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis treated with antipsychotic drugs are at an increased risk of death. Analyses of seventeen placebo-controlled trials (modal duration of 10 weeks), largely in patients taking atypical antipsychotic drugs, revealed a risk of death in drug-treated patients of between 1.6 to 1.7 times the risk of death in placebo-treated patients.
Used for
From the label: indicationsOlanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic indicated: As oral formulation for the: · Treatment of schizophrenia. ( 1.1 ) · Adults: Efficacy was established in three clinical trials in patients with schizophrenia: two 6-week trials and one maintenance trial. ( 14.1 ) · Adolescents (ages 13-17): Efficacy was established in one 6-week trial in patients with schizophrenia ( 14.1 ). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 30, 1996
- Generic labelers
- 43 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.147 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 14
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Prochlorperazine label of January 27, 2026, Olanzapine label of March 5, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do prochlorperazine and olanzapine differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, prochlorperazine is a phenothiazine and olanzapine an atypical antipsychotic.
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: prochlorperazine since 1979; olanzapine since 2011 (Drugs@FDA).
| Prochlorperazine | Olanzapine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Nausea and vomiting, Schizophrenia, Anxiety | Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, Depression |
| Pharmacologic class | Phenothiazine | Atypical Antipsychotic |
| How it works (label) | n/a | The mechanism of action of olanzapine, in the listed indications is unclear. However, the efficacy of olanzapine in schizophrenia could be mediated through a combination of dopamine and serotonin type 2 (5HT 2 ) antagonism. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | Its half-life ranges from 21 to 54 hours (5th to 95th percentile; mean of 30 hr), and apparent plasma clearance ranges from 12 to 47 L/hr (5th to 95th percentile; mean of 25 L/hr). |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | October 23, 1956 | September 30, 1996 |
| First generic approved | July 5, 1979 | October 24, 2011 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 45 labelers | 43 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.162 per tablet (Prochlorperazine 10 mg tablet) | $0.147 per tablet (Olanzapine 20 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -20% | -5% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 3 | 14 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 37,667 | 107,881 |
| 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 prochlorperazine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions