Two medicines, side by side
Temazepam vs triazolam
Temazepam and triazolam are both labeled for insomnia. Drugs@FDA records approvals of temazepam since 1981 and of triazolam since 1982. Pharmacies paid $0.0767 per temazepam 15 mg capsule and $0.308 per triazolam 0.25 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like.
Check it at the source: the temazepam FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 9, 2026); the triazolam FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 10, 2026).
Highlights of the temazepam record
Temazepam (Restoril) · label of June 9, 2026
RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH OPIOIDS; ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION; and DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required.
Used for
From the label: indicationsRestoril ® (temazepam) is indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia (generally 7 to 10 days). For patients with short-term insomnia, instructions in the prescription should indicate that Restoril ® (temazepam) should be used for short periods of time (7 to 10 days). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 27, 1981
- Generic labelers
- 20 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0767 per capsule
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Highlights of the triazolam record
Triazolam (Halcion) · label of July 10, 2026
RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH OPIOIDS; ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION; and DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS
Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and death. Reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate. Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required.
Used for
From the label: indicationsTriazolam is indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia (generally 7 to 10 days) in adults. Triazolam is a benzodiazepine indicated for the short-term treatment of insomnia (generally 7 to 10 days) in adults.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 15, 1982
- Generic labelers
- 7 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.308 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Temazepam label of June 9, 2026, Triazolam label of July 10, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do temazepam and triazolam differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class benzodiazepines.
Half-life, in each label's words: Temazepam, “The blood level decline of the parent drug was biphasic with the short half-life ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 hours and the …”; Triazolam, “Elimination Triazolam has a mean plasma elimination half-life in the range of 1.5 to 5.5 hours.”
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: temazepam since 1986; triazolam since 1994 (Drugs@FDA).
| Temazepam | Triazolam | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Insomnia | Insomnia |
| Pharmacologic class | Benzodiazepine | Benzodiazepine |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Triazolam is a benzodiazepine. |
| Half-life (label) | The blood level decline of the parent drug was biphasic with the short half-life ranging from 0.4 to 0.6 hours and the terminal half-life from 3.5 to 18.4 hours (mean 8.8 hours), depending on the study population and … | Elimination Triazolam has a mean plasma elimination half-life in the range of 1.5 to 5.5 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | February 27, 1981 | November 15, 1982 |
| First generic approved | July 10, 1986 | March 25, 1994 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 20 labelers | 7 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0767 per capsule (Temazepam 15 mg capsule) | $0.308 per tablet (Triazolam 0.25 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | +0.5% | -13% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 1 | 0 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 37,475 | 3,986 |
| DEA schedule | CIV | CIV |
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 do the labels say about using others of their kind?
Temazepam label, drug interactionsThe benzodiazepines, including temazepam, produce additive CNS-depressant effects when co-administered with other CNS depressants such as alcohol, barbiturates, antipsychotics, sedative/hypnotics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, narcotic analgesics, sedative antihistamines, anticonvulsants, and anesthetics.
Triazolam label, drug interactionsCNS Depressants Clinical implication Triazolam produces additive CNS depressant effects when co-administered with other CNS depressants.
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to temazepam
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions