Prescription medication · Atypical Antipsychotic
aripiprazole
Also sold as Abilify. Aripiprazole is used to treat schizophrenia in adults and teens.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 118,365
- FDA reportsOften reported
- 19
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- 97% less
- Generic vs brandHuge savings
- 3
- Recall records
What the data shows
aripiprazole (Abilify) is a prescription Atypical Antipsychotic, more reported than most tracked drugs (118,365 FDA reports), whose generic costs a fraction of the brand (about 97% less).
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
aripiprazole (Abilify) is a prescription Atypical Antipsychotic. Aripiprazole is used to treat schizophrenia in adults and teens.
Aripiprazole (Abilify) is a medicine used to treat certain mental disorders and mood problems. It can help to improve your mood, thinking, and behavior.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$18.69/unit
Generic Price
$0.49/unit
Generic Savings
97%
Generic Available
Yes (26 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Aripiprazole is used to treat schizophrenia in adults and teens.
Common side effects
Nausea, Vomiting, Constipation
Key warnings
Aripiprazole may increase the risk of death in elderly patients who have psychosis related to dementia.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from aripiprazole's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Aripiprazole works by affecting the levels of certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals, like dopamine and serotonin, can affect mood and behavior. By balancing these chemicals, aripiprazole helps to reduce symptoms of mental health conditions.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 118,365 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for aripiprazole, by number of reports
- Weight Increased
Weight Increased
7,698 reports
- Anxiety
Anxiety
4,993 reports
- Fatigue
Fatigue
4,188 reports
- Suicidal Ideation
Suicidal Ideation
3,991 reports
- Depression
Depression
3,950 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
3,904 reports
- Insomnia
Insomnia
3,816 reports
- Tremor
Tremor
3,609 reports
- Drug Interaction
Drug Interaction
3,589 reports
- Suicide Attempt
Suicide Attempt
3,504 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for aripiprazole each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where aripiprazole sits
aripiprazole has more FDA adverse-event reports than 88% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is aripiprazole; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 118,365 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2003–2025.
Total Reports
118,365
Reports Mentioning Death
6,577
5.6% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
34,687
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | WEIGHT INCREASED | 7,698 |
| 5 | ANXIETY | 4,993 |
| 6 | FATIGUE | 4,188 |
| 7 | SUICIDAL IDEATION | 3,991 |
| 8 | DEPRESSION | 3,950 |
| 9 | NAUSEA | 3,904 |
| 10 | INSOMNIA | 3,816 |
| 11 | TREMOR | 3,609 |
| 12 | DRUG INTERACTION | 3,589 |
| 13 | SUICIDE ATTEMPT | 3,504 |
| 14 | SOMNOLENCE | 3,484 |
| 15 | HEADACHE | 3,146 |
| 16 | DIZZINESS | 3,142 |
| 17 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 3,129 |
| 18 | AKATHISIA | 2,961 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Aripiprazole may increase the risk of death in elderly patients who have psychosis related to dementia. It is not approved for this use. Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teens, and young adults. Watch closely for worsening mood or suicidal thoughts.
Known Drug Interactions
In addition, no dosage adjustment is necessary for substrates of CYP2D6 (e.g., dextromethorphan, fluoxetine, paroxetine, or venlafaxine), CYP2C9 (e.g., warfarin), CYP2C19 (e.g., omeprazole, warfarin, escitalopram), or CYP3A4 (e.g., dextromethorphan) when co-administered with aripiprazole.
Mechanism: Aripiprazole does not change how your body processes omeprazole, so the levels of the medicine in your blood stay the same.
Additionally, no dosage adjustment is necessary for valproate, lithium, lamotrigine, lorazepam, or sertraline when co-administered with aripiprazole [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] .
Mechanism: Aripiprazole does not interfere with the way your body handles sertraline.
In addition, no dosage adjustment is necessary for substrates of CYP2D6 (e.g., dextromethorphan, fluoxetine, paroxetine, or venlafaxine), CYP2C9 (e.g., warfarin), CYP2C19 (e.g., omeprazole, warfarin, escitalopram), or CYP3A4 (e.g., dextromethorphan) when co-administered with aripiprazole.
Mechanism: Aripiprazole does not affect the levels of escitalopram in your body.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Dosage adjustment due to drug interactions (7.1): Factors Dosage Adjustments for Aripiprazole Known CYP2D6 Poor Metabolizers Administer half of usual dose Known CYP2D6 Poor Metabolizers and strong CYP3A4 inhibitors Administer a quarter of usual dose Strong CYP2D6 or CYP3A4 inhibitors Administer half of usual dose Strong CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 inhibitors Administer a quarter of usual dose Strong CYP3A4 inducers Double usual dose over 1 to 2 weeks 7.1 Drugs Having Clinically Important Interactions with Aripiprazole Table 25: Clinically Important Drug Interactions with...
Mechanism: Fluoxetine blocks the enzymes that break down aripiprazole, which can cause the drug to build up to higher levels in your body.
7.2 Drugs Having No Clinically Important Interactions with Aripiprazole Based on pharmacokinetic studies, no dosage adjustment of aripiprazole is required when administered concomitantly with famotidine, valproate, lithium, lorazepam.
Mechanism: These two drugs do not significantly change how the body processes or removes each other.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I stop taking aripiprazole suddenly?
Will aripiprazole make me gain weight?
Can I drink alcohol while taking aripiprazole?
How long does it take for aripiprazole to work?
What should I do if I experience side effects?
Can I take other medications with aripiprazole?
Does aripiprazole cause drowsiness?
What if my symptoms get worse?
How often will I see my doctor while taking aripiprazole?
Is aripiprazole addictive?
What are the common side effects of aripiprazole?
Does aripiprazole interact with other medications?
What drug class is aripiprazole?
Is there a generic version of aripiprazole?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for aripiprazole?
Has aripiprazole been recalled?
Active Recalls
Cross Contamination with Other Products
Second Tokushima Factory, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Cross Contamination with Other Products
Second Tokushima Factory, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Cross Contamination with Other Products
Second Tokushima Factory, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Related Medications in Atypical Antipsychotic
Other drugs grouped near aripiprazole - same-class peers and common alternatives.
acamprosate
Campral
Acamprosate is a medicine that can help you stay away from alcohol if you are alcohol-dependent and have already stopped drinking.
Compare with aripiprazole →
alprazolam
Xanax
Alprazolam (Xanax) is a medication that can help you with anxiety and panic disorders.
Compare with aripiprazole →
amitriptyline
Elavil
Amitriptyline is a medicine used to treat depression.
Compare with aripiprazole →
amphetamine/dextroamphetamine
Adderall, Adderall XR
Adderall XR is a stimulant medicine.
Compare with aripiprazole →
asenapine
Saphris
Asenapine (Saphris) is an antipsychotic medicine.
Compare with aripiprazole →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for aripiprazole: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 118,365.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 5.56%.
- sulindac Δ 0.01 pts · 2,380 reports · Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) 5.55%death share
- ustekinumab Δ 0.03 pts · 98,899 reports · Anti-IL-12/23 Monoclonal Antibody 5.53%death share
- insulin glargine Δ 0.05 pts · 236,147 reports · Long-Acting Insulin 5.60%death share
- brivaracetam Δ 0.05 pts · 4,286 reports · Anticonvulsant (SV2A Ligand) 5.51%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
Save on aripiprazole
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What the FDA Data Shows for aripiprazole
The FDA label for aripiprazole (sold under brand names such as Abilify) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Atypical Antipsychotic class. Aripiprazole is used to treat schizophrenia in adults and teens. Official labeling lists 8 commonly reported side effects, including Nausea, Vomiting, Constipation.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 118,365 voluntary reports. The database also lists 19 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.49 versus $18.69 for the brand - a 97% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 3 recall records on file), and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: February 3, 2025
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages