Two medicines, side by side
Trifluoperazine vs risperidone
Trifluoperazine and risperidone are both labeled for schizophrenia. Drugs@FDA records approvals of trifluoperazine since 1959 and of risperidone since 1993. Pharmacies paid $0.579 per trifluoperazine 2 mg tablet and $0.0368 per risperidone 0.25 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, trifluoperazine is a phenothiazine and risperidone an atypical antipsychotic.
Check it at the source: the trifluoperazine FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 22, 2025); the risperidone FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 28, 2026).
Highlights of the trifluoperazine record
Trifluoperazine (Stelazine) · label of July 22, 2025
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 the management of schizophrenia. Trifluoperazine hydrochloride tablets, USP are effective for the short-term treatment of generalized non-psychotic anxiety. However, trifluoperazine hydrochloride tablets are 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 (i.e., benzodiazepines). […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- April 16, 1959
- Generic labelers
- 6 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.579 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Highlights of the risperidone record
Risperidone (Risperdal) · label of May 28, 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. RISPERDAL is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia-related psychosis. [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] WARNING: INCREASED MORTALITY IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning.
Used for
From the label: indicationsRISPERDAL is an atypical antipsychotic indicated for: Treatment of schizophrenia ( 1.1 ) As monotherapy or adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate, for the treatment of acute manic or mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder ( 1.2 ) Treatment of irritability associated with autistic disorder ( 1.3 ) 1.1 Schizophrenia RISPERDAL (risperidone) is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 29, 1993
- Generic labelers
- 37 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0368 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 5
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Trifluoperazine label of July 22, 2025, Risperidone label of May 28, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do trifluoperazine and risperidone differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, trifluoperazine is a phenothiazine and risperidone an atypical antipsychotic.
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: trifluoperazine since 1981; risperidone since 2008 (Drugs@FDA).
| Trifluoperazine | Risperidone | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Schizophrenia, Anxiety | Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia |
| Pharmacologic class | Phenothiazine | Atypical Antipsychotic |
| How it works (label) | n/a | The mechanism of action of risperidone in schizophrenia is unclear. The drug's therapeutic activity in schizophrenia could be mediated through a combination of dopamine Type 2 (D 2 ) and serotonin Type 2 (5HT 2 ) receptor antagonism. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | The apparent half-life of risperidone was 3 hours (CV=30%) in extensive metabolizers and 20 hours (CV=40%) in poor metabolizers. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | April 16, 1959 | December 29, 1993 |
| First generic approved | November 20, 1981 | June 30, 2008 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 6 labelers | 37 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.579 per tablet (Trifluoperazine 2 mg tablet) | $0.0368 per tablet (Risperidone 0.25 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -14% | -13% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 5 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 122 | 131,095 |
| 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 trifluoperazine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions