Two medicines, side by side
Sucralfate vs pantoprazole
Sucralfate and pantoprazole are both labeled for acid reflux and ulcers. Drugs@FDA records approvals of sucralfate since 1981 and of pantoprazole since 2000. Pharmacies paid $0.173 per sucralfate 1 g 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, sucralfate is an aluminum complex and pantoprazole a proton pump inhibitor.
Check it at the source: the sucralfate FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 2, 2026); the pantoprazole FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 18, 2026).
Highlights of the sucralfate record
Sucralfate (Carafate) · label of September 2, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsSucralfate is indicated in: • Short-term treatment (up to 8 weeks) of active duodenal ulcer. While healing with sucralfate may occur during the first week or two, treatment should be continued for 4 to 8 weeks unless healing has been demonstrated by x-ray or endoscopic examination. • Maintenance therapy for duodenal ulcer patients at reduced dosage after healing of acute ulcers.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 30, 1981
- Generic labelers
- 43 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.173 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 6
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 (Sucralfate label of September 2, 2026, Pantoprazole label of May 18, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do sucralfate and pantoprazole differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, sucralfate is an aluminum complex and pantoprazole a proton pump inhibitor.
Generics: sucralfate since 1996; pantoprazole since 2007 (Drugs@FDA).
| Sucralfate | Pantoprazole | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Acid reflux and ulcers | Acid reflux and ulcers |
| Pharmacologic class | Aluminum Complex | Proton Pump Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | n/a | 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) | n/a | 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) | October 30, 1981 | February 2, 2000 |
| First generic approved | March 29, 1996 | August 2, 2007 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 43 labelers | 66 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.173 per tablet (Sucralfate 1 g tablet) | $0.0358 per tablet (Pantoprazole sod DR 40 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -6% | -4% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 6 | 25 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 23,820 | 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 sucralfate
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions